ISLAMABAD, October 29 (IN): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated the revamped Pakistan-China Friendship Hospital in Islamabad, directing authorities to ensure free, quality healthcare for patients from across the country, particularly those belonging to underprivileged communities.
During his visit, the prime minister inspected the newly renovated facility, received a detailed briefing from Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal and interacted with patients.Emphasising that public resources must serve humanity, the prime minister regretted that the hospital had remained non-operational for years despite being a valuable gift from China during the COVID-19 pandemic.He said he had taken immediate notice of the hospital’s prolonged closure after learning about its condition through a newspaper report and directed the health minister to ensure its early restoration.
Prime Minister Shehbaz announced that the government would bear 100 per cent of patients’ treatment costs, while the Indus Hospital and Health Network (IHHN) would manage the facility under a public-private partnership model.He said the hospital’s revival reflected the government’s commitment to providing accessible and quality healthcare, particularly to people who could not afford expensive medical treatment.The prime minister also directed the health ministry and hospital management to develop the facility into a model healthcare institution. He ordered a third-party performance audit to ensure transparency, accountability and high standards of medical services.The Pakistan-China Friendship Hospital has a capacity of 182 beds, including 50 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, and will cater to patients from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country.Addressing the inauguration ceremony, the prime minister expressed regret over the years of neglect and apologised to the Chinese ambassador and people of China for the prolonged closure of the facility, describing it as a generous gift reflecting the vision of Chinese President Xi Jinping.He praised Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal and his team for completing the hospital’s revival project in a short period.Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the hospital would help address the growing demand for healthcare services in Islamabad and surrounding regions.
He also revealed that a 200-bed cancer hospital at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) had been prepared and was expected to become operational next year.Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong welcomed the hospital’s inauguration, appreciating the transformation of the facility from an isolation centre into a general hospital.He said naming it the Pakistan-China Friendship Hospital reflected the strong bonds between the two countries and the prime minister’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations.The ambassador also expressed China’s desire to expand economic cooperation with Pakistan under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).Dr Abdul Bari Khan, Chief Executive Officer of the Indus Hospital and Health Network, thanked the prime minister and health minister for entrusting the organisation with the hospital’s management.He said the network currently operated 15 hospitals, 140 primary healthcare clinics, four blood centres and four physical rehabilitation centres across Pakistan, serving approximately 700,000 patients every month.
He added that the network’s annual budget had increased from Rs1 billion in its first year to Rs68 billion in the current year, with around 70 per cent of its funding generated within Pakistan.Dr Bari also announced plans to establish a blood centre in Islamabad and reaffirmed the network’s commitment to providing quality healthcare without financial barriers.The inauguration marks the revival of an important national healthcare facility and a renewed commitment to strengthening Pakistan-China friendship through public welfare and accessible medical services.
