MN Report
KARACHI - The much-publicized Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Accident, Emergency and Trauma Centre being built at Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) could not be completed even after a lapse of six years since work on the project began.
According to well-informed sources, work on the project which was approved by Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) in 2008 had begun in 2009 and it was schedule to be completed in 2012.
The cost of the project has now swelled to Rs 5 billion owing to inordinate delay in its completion during the scheduled period.
However, independent sources attributed the delay in completing the project to the federal government’s refusal to release its funds after the passage of 18th Amendment as well as to poor planning on the part of Sindh government.
Highlighting the importance of the project, the sources said that the 15-storied trauma centre building, having a provision of accommodating as many as 500 patients at a time, on its completion will provide state-of-art emergency trauma care facilities to thousands of patients under one roof.
The trauma centre will have surgery, burns, eye, neurology, heart wards and operation theatres, medical stores, cafeteria, mosque, mortuary and adequate parking space.
Meanwhile, Sindh Secretary Health Dr Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo told this reporter that machines and other equipments were now being installed at the trauma centre and it would start functioning in September.