Pak-China Friendship Hospital Set to Reopen in Islamabad on Oct. 27

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will likely open the renamed Pak-China Friendship Hospital, a 250-bed former COVID isolation centre, on Oct. 27.

NationPulse Desk

Oct 25, 2026 · 9:25 PM 2 min read

Key takeaways

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to open the Pak-China Friendship Hospital on October 27.

The 250-bed Chak Shahzad facility was built as a COVID-19 isolation centre and will now serve as a general hospital.

The name change honors China's $4 million grant that funded the original construction.

The health ministry and IHITC will run the hospital, with the isolation wing managed by IHHN under a PPP.

Construction cost was reported at around Rs. 980 million, completed in 40 days.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to officiate the opening of the Pak-China Friendship Hospital in Islamabad on October 27. The 250-bed building in Chak Shahzad, originally constructed as a COVID-19 isolation centre, has been renamed and will now operate as a general hospital for local residents.

Renamed on PM's Directions

The facility received its new name, Pak-China Friendship Hospital, following directives from the prime minister. Sources say the Ministry of National Health Services and the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre (IHITC) had first planned to call it Margalla Hospital.

Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal told The News that the change honours China's support. "The hospital was built with Chinese assistance, and the prime minister has directed that it should be named Pak-China Friendship Hospital," he said.

General Hospital Under PPP Model

The health ministry together with IHITC will manage the site as a general hospital, while its isolation wing will function under a public-private partnership. The ministry previously signed a deal with the Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) to run the isolation unit.

This move follows recent announcements of a new 167-bed hospital in Islamabad that will provide free treatment.

Built With Chinese Grant During COVID-19

Constructed in 2020 during the first COVID-19 wave, the project received a $4 million donation from China. The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), working with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the National Institute of Health (NIH), completed the build in 40 days, at a cost of about Rs. 980 million.

Then-Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the centre on July 9, 2020. After the pandemic subsided, the hospital was closed because of operational issues, including a lack of staff.

Earlier, PM Shehbaz Sharif opened a modern cancer hospital in Azad Kashmir.

Source: ARY News