Tharparker Hospital project: NA body irked by delay in start of construction work

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Tuesday, while reviewing budgetary allocations for the next fiscal year 2025-26, expressed serious reservations over the delay in the start of the construction work of 200-bed Tharparker Hospital project announced by the prime minister in 2023.

The committee meeting held here under the chairmanship of Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani expressed concern that this project had not been prioritised since the announcement.

The committee instructed the relevant authorities to expedite the feasibility process under PC-II, which would later form the basis for PC-I. The chairman emphasised that a letter should be sent to the deputy commissioner of Tharparker, Sindh for the necessary steps to be taken.

The meeting focused on the implementation of previous recommendations regarding allocation of Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2025-26, the ongoing health projects, Sehat Sahulat Programme, One Patient, One ID among other key matters affecting the health sector.

The Sehat Sahulat Programme, introduced in 2015 as a health initiative for below-the-poverty-line families, was also a major topic of discussion. However, due to financial issues and the non-release of funds by the government since January 2024, the programme’s services were halted.

The committee was informed that the financial liabilities remained unresolved and the services could not continue. Despite this, the committee urged the government to find a solution and recommended the programme’s continuation with necessary adjustments.

The committee also discussed the “One Patient, One ID” initiative, which aims to centralise patient data management through a cloud-based system. The chairman emphasised the importance of implementing this programme effectively across federal government hospitals. The project, which with a cost of approximately 200 million rupees, was expected to be completed by March 31, 2025.

The committee expressed concerns over data reliability issues and proposed outsourcing the project to ensure seamless implementation. The status of several other projects was also reviewed. The committee stressed that all ongoing projects should be completed on time, without compromising on quality. The committee members agreed to continue working together to ensure that health initiatives are efficiently implemented for the benefit of the people.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025