Saudi-Funded Islamabad Hospital Set for Contract After 20-Year Delay

The federal government in Pakistan is set to award the construction contract for the Saudi-funded King Salman Hospital in Islamabad within the next 15 days, according to Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal. The project, which has been delayed for nearly 20 years, will be a 400-bed facility. A total of 12 companies participated in the bidding process, which concluded on September 7. The initial 200-bed phase is projected to be finished within a span of two years.

The government has also revised the hospital's original design to better accommodate modern healthcare requirements. Additionally, the expansion of the Federal Government Polyclinic in Islamabad is anticipated to be completed by March 2027. The expansion aims to address the growing demand for hospital beds as public hospitals in Islamabad face increasing pressure.

Public hospitals in Islamabad have been under scrutiny following a tragic fire incident at PIMS on August 26, which tragically claimed the lives of 14 newborns. In response to this incident, the government has mandated fire-safety and structural inspections of all federal health facilities. The Capital Development Authority has been given a 15-day window to conduct these necessary audits.

In a move to further improve healthcare access, the government has launched a Rs. 6.8 billion diabetes screening program. The program will initially target Islamabad and will subsequently be extended to other provinces. Kamal revealed that Pakistan is estimated to have around 45 million people suffering from diabetes, with millions still remaining undiagnosed.