{
  "id": 10861076,
  "title": "KP health dept seeks Rs2.9bn annual funds to operationalise children hospital",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/kp-health-dept-seeks-rs2-9bn-annual-funds-to-operationalise-children",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T04:58:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn - Pakistan",
    "slug": "dawn-pakistan",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2033612/kp-health-dept-seeks-rs29bn-annual-funds-to-operationalise-children-hospital"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Children Hospital, the first of its kind in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, remains unfinished due to delays by the Communication and Works Department in transferring the building to the appropriate authorities. The federal government initiated the Khyber Institute of Child Health (KICH) alongside the children's hospital 14 years ago, with an initial projected timeline of three years for opening. However, despite receiving the full cost of construction, the hospital's operational status remains uncertain. A senior member of the Pakistan Paediatrics Association (PPA) expressed relief that the hospital could become operational within a month if the communication and works department releases funds. The PPA member emphasized that uninterrupted power supply is a crucial requirement for the hospital. Meanwhile, the health department has requested an annual operational budget of Rs2.9 billion for the current fiscal year and an additional Rs500 million for procuring power generators. The hospital has been designated as a medical teaching institution (MTI) due to the PPA's efforts, hoping to expedite the process through the hospital's Board of Governors (BoG), which would function independently from the bureaucratic control. However, the status of MTI has not yet been approved, and the hospital faces challenges in running efficiently without the necessary funds. Despite the delays, the hospital's establishment could provide much-needed paediatric care, train healthcare professionals, and eventually become a regional center of excellence for child health services.",
  "summary": "PESHAWAR: The first-ever dedicated 300-bed Peshawar Children Hospital in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is yet to become operational due to delay by communication and works department to hand over its building to the authorities concerned. The federal government started Khyber Institute of Child Health (KICH) and its affiliated children hospital 14 years ago which was supposed to open in three years but…",
  "key_points": [
    "Peshawar Children Hospital remains unfinished due to delays in transferring building to authorities.",
    "Health department seeks Rs2.9bn annual funds for hospital operationalization.",
    "Hospital designated as medical teaching institution (MTI) to expedite process."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}