The first specialized hospital for child healthcare in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is scheduled to inaugurate in August after over a decade of construction delays due to insufficient federal funding. Rapid progress is underway on finishing the ground and first floors, where a specialized pediatric OPD will soon operate. The hospital administration has requested essential medical equipment like ultrasound and X-ray machines, along with staffing from the health department.
Official sources revealed that the facility will be inaugurated by the chief minister in early August, addressing the province’s need for a dedicated children’s OPD currently absent in major hospitals. Efforts are also ongoing to secure chillers and furniture through collaborations with aid agencies for both floors.
Despite receiving periodic funding totaling Rs4.3 billion, the hospital is awaiting the outstanding Rs3.6 billion from the federal government. The Khyber Institute of Child Health project has been granted a two-year extension, aiming for completion by 2025, contingent upon immediate project initiation to avoid potential delays necessitating a fresh PC-1 review.
Moreover, discussions are underway to allocate funds for equipment procurement by January, leveraging first-quarter resources. Hospital management plans to convene a meeting next week to finalize operational details for the upcoming OPD.
