The Government of Sindh, Pakistan, has laid the foundation stone for the construction of Central Hospital Karachi, aiming to provide essential healthcare services to the citizens, The Nation reported.

Senator Waqar Mehdi, Minister of Labor and Human Resources Saeed Ghani, Secretary LG Najam Ahmad Shah, Director General of Karachi Development Authority (KDA) Syed Muhammad Ali Shah, and several other dignitaries attended the event.

During the foundation stone-laying ceremony, the Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah announced the allocation of Rs4bn ($48.47m) for the hospital construction.

To be located at Federal B Area Water Pump, the hospital will be built in accordance with the vision of chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto, who is dedicated to the development of Karachi.

Central Hospital will feature six floors and a basement with four towers, offering specialised services such as a general hospital, a trauma centre, a cardiology ward, a gynaecology department, as well as emergency care and emergency services for children.

Additionally, the hospital will include a nursing school and a community centre.

Construction will be executed in phases, with phase one being prioritised, estimated to cost Rs1bn ($12.11mn).

Syed Muhammad Ali Shah expressed confidence in the timely completion of the project and highlighted its contribution to reclaiming encroached land owned by KDA.