Punjab to Build Rs17 Billion Cardiology Institute in Gujranwala
Punjab's health minister has announced the establishment of a Rs17 billion cardiology institute in Gujranwala, describing the facility as a transformative step toward bringing advanced cardiac care to a densely populated city that has long lacked specialised heart health infrastructure. The project is expected to serve millions of residents across central and northern Punjab who currently travel to Lahore for cardiac treatment.
The minister stated that the institute will be equipped with modern diagnostic and surgical facilities, including catheterisation laboratories, cardiac intensive care units, and specialist outpatient services. The facility is designed to reduce the burden on Lahore's public sector cardiac hospitals, which routinely operate beyond capacity.
Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of mortality in Pakistan, with Punjab bearing a disproportionate share of the national burden. The Gujranwala institute is positioned as part of a broader provincial health infrastructure expansion programme aimed at decentralising tertiary care away from the provincial capital.
No timeline for groundbreaking or completion has been publicly confirmed. Health officials have stressed that the project will be developed under strict procurement standards, though civil society observers will be watching to ensure that announced projects translate into constructed and operational facilities within promised timeframes.
Similar Stories
Background and related coverage on this story.
WHO Warns Ebola Deaths Hit 220 as Epidemic Accelerates
The Director-General of the World Health Organization has issued a stark warning that suspected Ebola deaths have reached 220, declaring that the epidemic is outpacing containment efforts. The statement signals a critical deterioration in the public health response as transmission continues to spread faster than intervention systems can respond.
WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa a Global Health Emergency
The World Health Organisation has declared an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa a public health emergency of international concern following approximately 80 suspected deaths, triggering the organisation's highest level of global alert and mobilising international response mechanisms. The declaration activates coordinated international containment protocols and compels member states to heighten surveillance and preparedness measures.
UN Warns Iran War Disrupting Lifesaving Supplies for Children
The United Nations has issued an urgent warning that the ongoing war involving Iran is severely disrupting the delivery of lifesaving medical supplies and humanitarian aid destined for children across the affected region. UN agencies report that conflict-related blockades, damaged logistics infrastructure, and heightened insecurity along supply routes have halted or delayed critical shipments of vaccines, medicines, and nutritional supplements.
WHO Reports 906 Suspected Ebola Cases from Bundibugyo Strain
The World Health Organisation has reported 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, raising serious international public health concerns over the trajectory of the current outbreak. The Bundibugyo strain, first identified in Uganda in 2007, is among the less commonly occurring but virulent variants of the Ebola virus family.
CM Maryam Nawaz Undergoes Major Surgery at Lahore Hospital
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has undergone a major surgical procedure at a hospital in Lahore, a senior Punjab government minister confirmed on Thursday. The disclosure marks the first official acknowledgement of the nature of the procedure, which had previously not been described in detail by provincial authorities.
China Coal Mine Blast Kills at Least 82 in Deadliest Recent Accident
A massive gas explosion tore through a coal mine in China on Monday, killing at least 82 people in one of the deadliest industrial accidents to strike the country's mining sector in recent years. Rescue teams were deployed to the site as authorities confirmed the death toll and warned that it could rise further as operations continue underground.