Islamabad – The Capital Development Authority (CDA) will allot the entire I-17 sector of 7,344 kanals, at Rs 1.8 million per kanal, on lease hold right basis, to National University of Medical Sciences for the establishment of medical city, it was learnt reliably here Wednesday.

For the construction of 1,600-bed hospital, along with research facilities and other allied services in the medical city, the National University of Medical Sciences plans to procure 900 acres land (7,344 kanals i.e. entire I-17 Sector, Islamabad) from CDA at a total cost of Rs.13.6 billion, official sources told The Nation.

NUMS plans to establish a medical city at Sector I-17, Islamabad. The medical city will be unique in its kind in South East Asia as it would encompass all facets of medical education, research and development and healthcare provision under one roof. This state-of-the-art inclusive educational and healthcare facility will benefit approximately 12 million people of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and its adjoining areas and it will promote medical tourism. The Ministry of Defense is the sponsoring agency of the project. The planned medical city will provide opportunities to undergraduate and postgraduate students for education and research and development in the fields of medicine, dentistry, nursing, allied health, biomedical engineering and veterinary sciences with a necessary add-on of social sciences and liberal arts clubbed with multi-disciplinary faculty. The award of land on lease hold right basis will be initially for 33 years and can be extended for two subsequent terms of 33 years each.

However, the technical section of the Planning Commission questioned the mandate of Ministry of Defense for provision of health services to general public. The ministry’s mandate extends to provision of health services to armed forces personnel, while the project under consideration extends to provision of health services to the general public of not only ICT but also Rawalpindi, AJK and GB, the source said. Therefore, it should be more appropriate that the project with current concept and scope should be catered by the mandated entity to provide healthcare services to general public in Islamabad, the planning commission recommended.

 

The Economic Appraisal section of the Planning Commission on the other hand said that sponsors may provide justification for selecting Islamabad as the project location, whereas, need of such facilities are in other parts of the country.

The medical city is planned to be completed in 4 phases spread over 20-year period. The estimated cost of 1st phase of 5 years has been estimated at Rs 17 billion. The 1st phase will comprise 600-bed hospital coupled with medical, nursing, allied health professional institutes and allied facilities, followed by 2nd phase of 600 beds and 3rd phase of 400 beds with corresponding allied facilities. Finally, the 4th phase will comprise development of remaining allied and commercial facilities for completion of the medical city.