ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the Pakistan-China Friendship Hospital in Islamabad, announcing that the government will cover all patient treatment costs at the facility. During the ceremony, he emphasized the hospital’s role in providing free healthcare services and highlighted its management outsourcing to ensure quality care.

According to Radio Pakistan, the hospital was a donation from the Chinese government and people, symbolizing the shared goals and cooperation between Pakistan and China. Prime Minister Sharif acknowledged the hospital’s closure post-COVID-19 and apologized to the Chinese ambassador for the inactivity since 2020. He expressed confidence that the hospital will now support patients from various regions, including Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal stated that the hospital will operate under a public-private partnership, ensuring its sustainability. He noted recent health sector expansions, including the addition of over 3,000 beds to public hospitals and the integration of 15 private hospitals into the Prime Minister’s Sehat Card program. Updates on other facilities, such as a new trauma center and a cancer hospital at PIMS, were also shared during the event.