RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has received a special grant worth Rs 570 million from federal government to upgrade the Rawalpindi Cantonment General Hospital (RCGH). According to RCB spokesman Qaiser Mahmood, RCB had sent PC-1 of RCGH worth Rs570 million to Prime Minister Office for up-gradation of the hospital.

Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had also chaired a briefing given by Director General Military Lands & Cantonments Department (ML&C Dept) Rawalpindi at Prime Minister Secretariat on revamping of Cantonment Hospital Rawalpindi. He also briefed the meeting about plans for renovating and equipping the hospital with latest medical equipment. The establishment of a medical college was also included in the up-gradation plan. The former Prime Minister was informed that all out efforts were being made to provide health facilities at CGH Rwp to the Cantt residents.

The spokesman informed that under the up-gradation project the hospital would be transformed into a fully functional 500 bed hospital. He said, the hospital was shifted to a new building in 1989 but there is a need to reconstruct the building and increase the number of beds. In the current fiscal year, the RCB spent Rs180 million on the improvement of the structure, sewerage lines and elevators. The former prime minister was informed that there was a dire need to install MRI and CT scan machines and improve the gynae wards in the hospital. The RCB has prepared a plan to activate 14 departments in the hospital, including medicines, ear, nose and throat (ENT), eye, gynae, cardiology, emergency.–APP

Under the plan, the RCB would install electric incinerators in the hospital to dispose of medical waste. The RCB would also purchase two ambulances which would serve as mini-dispensaries to provide first aid to emergency patients while five regular ambulances would also be added to the hospital fleet. Soon the elevators, Lift and procurement of dump lifter and installation of generators for which orders have been placed.

The facilities being provided in the hospital are being hailed by the public and they praised the RCB administration for taking measures for improving the overall condition of the hospital.