Minister for Law and Local Government Rana Sanaullah Khan said on Monday that the Government General Hospital in Samanabad would be upgraded from 50 to 250 beds at a cost of Rs1 billion.
He visited the hospital and met with members of the Samanabad Welfare Society and the Health Department. Punjab Medical College Principal Dr Zahid Yasin Hashmi, Health EDO Dr Waqar Sadiq and MS Dr Khalid Fakhar were present on the occasion.
Sanaullah handed the hospital administration the key to an ambulance vehicle and inaugurated a food outlet donated by the Saylani Welfare Trust for patients and their relatives.
Sanaullah said that the government had devised revolutionary policies to improve health facilities in the province so that patients could be provided the best possible medical treatment at their door steps.
He said the Government General Hospital would be upgraded to the status of a DHQ hospital after its expansion.
He said the government would provide the hospital state of the art equipment.
Sanaullah appreciated the services of the Samnabad Welfare Society and the Saylani Welfare Trust.
Medical Superintendent Dr Khalid Fakhar said the hospital had provided medical treatment to as many as 8.5 million patients over the last three years. On average, 60,000 patients visited the hospital each month, he said.
He said the Samanabad Welfare Society had donated Rs5.6 million for various medical services including the distribution of free injections for hepatitis-C treatment among deserving patients.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 4th, 2014.