Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Institute of Child Health and Children’s Hospital, which began construction in 2012, has still not been completed after 12 years.
The project, initially estimated to cost Rs 2.2 billion and be completed by 2015, has faced severe delays due to a lack of funding, with the cost now rising to approximately Rs 8 billion.
The hospital, located in the Hayatabad area of Peshawar, was intended to provide both treatment and research on children’s diseases. Health experts emphasize that had the hospital been completed, it would have served as a valuable center for both research and treatment. However, due to these prolonged delays, parents are forced to seek treatment for their children at private hospitals.
Despite similar facilities being available in all other provinces, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains without such a critical health resource. The ongoing delays have left children in the province without a dedicated hospital for their specialized treatment.