The 200-bed Mother and Child Hospital in Asghar Mall, Rawalpindi, has not been operational for many years despite 90 per cent of the building work having been completed.
The hospital construction under the Ministry of National Health has been delayed for 4 years despite an expenditure of Rs 6 billion.
The building work is 90 per cent complete, but the machinery and equipment have not been purchased, according to media reports.
Machinery, equipment value Rs 1bn required
Currently, machinery and equipment worth Rs 1 billion are required to make the hospital operational, for which the budget has not been released for the last four financial years.
The last time Rs 200 million was approved for the completion of the hospital in the budget 2021-2022, of which Rs 135.7 million was spent.
More than Rs 1.8 billion was allocated in the budget in the last four years, which could not be released.
The federal government has cut the budget for the hospital over the last three years. In the last financial year 2026-2025, 2024 and 2025, Rs 30 million was allocated, which was not released, while no budget has been allocated for the current financial year 2025 either.
Youngsters play various games within hospital premises.
Young people and children from the surrounding areas have started playing various games within the hospital premises.
Citizens have urged the government to complete the construction of the hospital without further delay.
According to reports, the construction of a hospital on Eidgah Road in Rawalpindi began during the previous government.
The hospital was planned to provide modern medical facilities to ensure that patients would not face any difficulties in receiving treatment.
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