Islamabad’s COVID-Era Isolation Hospital Reopens With Free Treatment for All

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the 250-bed Pak-China Friendship Hospital in Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, announcing free medical treatment for patients from throughout Pakistan.

Key points

• The hospital was originally established as the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre (IHITC) in 2020.
• The prime minister additionally unveiled that the hospital, previously named Margalla Hospital, had been renamed Pak-China Friendship Hospital to recognize China's contribution.
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• He assured that the facility would provide 100% free medical treatment to patients from Islamabad, surrounding areas, and other parts of the country.
• Spread throughout approximately 40 kanals near the NIH, the hospital includes patient wards, laboratories, administrative offices, and other medical infrastructure.

In practice, the hospital, originally built with Chinese assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, will now be operated by the Indus Hospital and Health Network (IHHN) under a public-private partnership.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the prime minister thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for supporting the hospital's construction and criticized the previous administration for allowing the facility to remain unused after the pandemic. PPP Senator Wants Free Breast Cancer Screening for Women.

He remarked the hospital had provided notable services during COVID-19 but was afterwards shut down despite the growing healthcare needs of the public.

Shehbaz described the closure as an example of negligence toward poor and vulnerable patients and expressed regret over the years-long delay in restoring the facility.

In practice, the prime minister additionally unveiled that the hospital, previously named Margalla Hospital, had been renamed Pak-China Friendship Hospital to recognize China's contribution.

For context, the hospital was originally established as the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre (IHITC) in 2020. It was constructed in just 40 days by the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the National Institute of Health (NIH). Family in Punjab Dies After Eating Toxic Kheer.

While its total construction cost was estimated at approximately Rs, china provided a $4 million grant for the project. 980 million. The facility was first inaugurated in July 2020 to treat COVID-19 patients and other infectious diseases.

Spread throughout approximately 40 kanals near the NIH, the hospital includes patient wards, laboratories, administrative offices, and other medical infrastructure. Nevertheless, it remained underutilized due to operational challenges and a shortage of medical staff.

To restore operations, the federal administration selected IHHN to manage the hospital. On July 31, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination signed agreements with the organization to operate the hospital and the Regional Blood Center in Islamabad after federal cabinet approval. Stay Connected with ProPakistani. Obtain the latest news and stories wherever you prefer. Follow on Google Discover. Follow on Google News Join WhatsApp. See more ProPakistani stories in Google Search and Top Stories.

Taken together, the developments around islamabad's COVID-Era Isolation Hospital Reopens With Free Treatment for All point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.