Foundation Laid for First 24/7 Hospital Under Karachi Dispensary Upgrade Project
Karachi: The foundation stone for the first project to convert one of Karachi’s five government dispensaries into a 24-hour operational hospital has been laid, marking the beginning of a major healthcare initiative by the federal government.
Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of the Government Dispensary at Jacob Lines under the Federal Community Health and Prevention Services Centre project.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mustafa Kamal described the occasion as “a significant day for Karachi’s health sector,” saying the dispensary, which currently operates from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with limited facilities, will be transformed into a modern hospital.
He said the upgraded facility will have 30 beds and provide essential healthcare services around the clock. The minister added that the federal government has been working for several months to convert inactive and underutilized dispensaries into modern hospitals.
According to Mustafa Kamal, several health facilities, including the Civil Dispensary, Airport Dispensary, and Garden Dispensary, had remained inactive for years but are now being upgraded under the new initiative.
He announced that the Jacob Lines facility is expected to become a fully functional 24-hour hospital within three months. A total of Rs2.865 billion has been allocated for the project, under which five dispensaries across Karachi will each be upgraded into 30-bed hospitals.
The health minister noted that after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the responsibility and funding for building hospitals were transferred to the provincial governments. Despite this, he said, the federal government is investing in its own dispensaries to improve healthcare services.
Mustafa Kamal apologized to Karachi residents, saying he does not have the authority to carry out similar projects in densely populated areas such as Korangi and Liaquatabad, as those fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial government.
Highlighting broader public health challenges, he said not a single drop of sewage water in Pakistan is treated before being discharged, adding that experts estimate 68% of diseases are linked to contaminated water. He further stated that 55% of Pakistan’s population still lacks access to safe drinking water, while many citizens remain deprived of basic education and healthcare.
The minister also said that although Rs7.8 trillion has been transferred from the federal government to the provinces, poor governance has prevented resources from reaching people at their doorsteps, contributing to growing public dissatisfaction.
