Over 40 modern hospitals to be constructed in country’s deprived areas

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (APP): Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services Dr Darshan informed the National Assembly on Friday that over 40 modern hospitals would be constructed in densely populated deprived areas of the country within three years.
Replying to a question of Khalida Mansoor, Dr Darshan said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had approved the proposal to construct the
hospitals in marginalized areas of Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammun & Kashmir and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
He said after the 18th Amendment it was the responsibility of provinces to upgrade hospitals in their respective areas, however the federal government was willing to extend support to them if needed.
To another question of Pakistan Peoples Party’s Shazia Marri about the issues of malnutrition and stunting in the country, he said the ministry was playing its role of coordinating, policy and regulation making, and oversight effectively.
“Multiple initiatives have been undertaken through the Nutrition Wing of the ministry in collaboration with provincial departments of health, UN agencies and development partners as continued nutrition response to prevent and treat malnutrition among most vulnerable, especially the children,” he added.
Dr Darshan said there was no direct federal government funding for nutrition interventions in FATA, however Nutrition PC-I for Federal Areas was under process in the Planning Commission.