ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved eight development projects amounting to Rs 144.3 billion including the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital Project.
However, as per The Express Tribune report, the Project titled “Establishment of Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment & Research, Lahore” worth Rs 52772.520 million (Rs 52.7 billion) was approved without fulfilling the essential requirements of having a detailed feasibility study and a business plan.
The CDWP meeting was held on Tuesday with the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal in the Chair.
It’s worth noting that it was the first meeting of the CDWP presided over by Ahsan Iqbal following the resignation of its previous Chairman Dr. Jehanzab Khan over differences with the former.
In its meeting, the CDWP forum approved five development projects worth Rs 15.35 billion and recommended three other projects worth Rs 129 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for its consideration.
Shahbaz Rana’s report carried by The Express Tribune stated that the CDWP accorded approval to the Cancer Hospital Project ‘by ignoring serious lapses in project preparation’. It instead gave six-month time to the Punjab government for fixing the gaps.
Hours after the CDWP meeting, the ECNEC also pushed through the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital Project, the report further disclosed.
The Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment & Research Project is proposed to be financed through the Provincial Annual Development Programme (ADP).
The project – being constructed on the government-owned land – scope includes civil work for main hospital, cancer care clinic, hospice & palliative care facility, doctors’ accommodation and Parking plaza, procurement of medical equipment, furniture and fixtures, hiring of medical and allied service staff and establishment of Project Management Unit comprising of professors and consultants in Clinical care.
The PC-I envisaged provision of low cost quality and comprehensive cancer treatment through a 565 bedded Institute of Cancer and Research located in Lahore.
The cancer treatment related healthcare services will be integrating various modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and palliative care.
The project also plans to accommodate patients having terminal illness in the hospital.
The project will engage highly qualified personnel’s i.e. medical and engineering professionals, technologist and administrative workforce on market based salaries.
 approved the Project titled “Establishment of Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment & Research, Lahore” worth Rs 52.7 billion without fulfilling the essential requirements of having a detailed feasibility study and a business plan.){kind=link}