RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Punjab Provincial Development Working Party (PPDWP) has approved Rs 4.6 billion for provision of missing specialties for upgradation of DHQ Hospital Dera Ghazi Khan into Teaching Hospital DGK.

The approval was given in the PPDWP 51st meeting of current fiscal year presided over by Chairman P&D Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan and attended by secretary and all members of P&D, provincial secretaries and other senior representatives of the relevant departments here on Friday.

Official sources told Business Recorder that Punjab government is spending Rs 12 billion on upgradation of DHQ hospitals to teaching hospital in Sialkot, Sahiwal, Gujranwala and DG Khan for revamping of all DHQ hospitals after setting up new medical colleges in these cities.

With the formation of DG Khan Medical College, DHQ Dera Ghazi was upgraded to 500 beds in 2010 and attached with the Medical College.

The government has allocated 522 kanals of land for the construction of regular academic block and hostel building and expansion of attached 346-bed DHQ Hospital with all the major medical and surgical specialties including, Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Gynaecology, Eye, ENT, etc.

The college admits 100 students on open merit. Admission is gender neutral and is granted through a centralized Medical College Admission Test conducted by the University of Health Sciences Lahore annually.

The DHQ Hospital is located adjacent to the college. The PDWP also approved Development of Green Corridor and Recreational Areas along Railway Track from Shahdarah to Raiwind at the cost of Rs 1035.866 million.