History

The idea of the University of Child Health Sciences was conceived by Prof Masood Sadiq then Dean Institute of Child Health and first presented in the Inaugural Ceremony of the Annual Symposium of The Children’s hospital held on 2^nd March 2018, chaired by then Health Minister, Mr. Khawaja Salman Rafique.
There was no progress, to begin with, and Prof. Masood Sadiq in the Convocation of the School of Allied Health Sciences, The Children’s Hospital again presented the idea on 11^th December 2018, chaired by Health Minister Prof. Yasmin Rashid. She supported the concept in her speech and promised to get its support from the Punjab government.
The proposal was approved by the then Chief Minister Mr. Usman Buzdar during his visit to The Children’s Hospital on 25^th March 2019.
The Dean of the Children’s Hospital and the Institute of Child Health submitted a formal proposal to the SH&ME department on 2^nd April 2019.
The SHC&ME department submitted it to the P&D Board and it was reflected in ADP (2019-20) as an unapproved scheme at a total cost of 4 billion. Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab (IDAP) was appointed for execution and PC-1 was being prepared when the COVID pandemic hit the world and the progress on the development scheme was halted.
The efforts on the other front (Approval of Act) however, continued. After detailed deliberations with all stakeholders including CH/ICH, PPA (Pb), and within the department, Specialized HealthCare and Medical Education Department (SHC&ME) initiated a summary for the Chief Minister on 7^th August 2019, for its establishment under an Act called “The University of Child Health Sciences, Lahore Act 2019”
The CM was pleased to approve placing the proposal before the cabinet through the standing committee of the cabinet on legislative business on 23^rd August 2019.
The matter was placed before the standing committee on 18 September 2019, for approval, in principle in terms of sub-rule (1) of rule 33 of the Punjab Government rules of business 2011. The standing committee considered and deferred the draft bill with the observations that the administrative department to give recommendations shall constitute a panel of experts and the international precedents about the establishment of universities for specialized subjects shall be studied. The department was asked to refine and justify the proposal with successful case studies, resource requirements, timelines, long-term plans, and potential impact
In compliance thereof SHC & ME Department constituted a committee of relevant experts to review the proposal as per standing committee instructions on 30^th September 2019:
- Sajid Maqbool, Eminent Pediatrician, Professor Emeritus, and Chairman BOM The Children’s Hospital Lahore- Convener
- Tahir Masood Ahmad, Eminent Pediatrician, Professor of Pediatrics, and Principal Rashid Latif Medical College, Lahore.
- Aamer Zaman Khan, Vice-Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Lahore
- Awais Rauf, Chairman Board of Management, University of Lahore, Lahore.
The Committee reviewed/deliberated on 2^nd October 2019 and also visited the site. The concept was endorsed with the proposal for the establishment of Children’s Hospitals at all divisional headquarters linked to the university and all Mother and Child hospitals being established across Punjab also linked to the University. The core components were proposed as under:
- College of Paediatrics and Child Health (Constituent College)
- College of Nursing (Constituent Nursing College)
- College of Allied Health Sciences (Constituent AHS College)
- Institute of Genetics and Research (including animal lab)
- Foetal, Maternal and Neonatal Health Centre
- Institute of Nutrition, Preventive & Social Paediatrics now named as Institute of Community Paediatrics and Policy Making
- Advanced Technology and Telehealth Centre
The matter was placed before the standing committee again on 19^th November 2019 for approval, in principle in terms of sub-rule (1) of rule 33 of the Punjab Government rules of business 2011. The standing committee considered and deferred the draft bill again with some further observations.
The already formulated committee once again deliberated on 19^th December 2019, in light of the observations of the standing committee of the cabinet on Legislative Business.
The case was placed before the standing committee of the cabinet on Legislative Business on 3^rd March 2020, for the third time. The standing committee of the cabinet on Legislative Business considered the draft bill titled “ University of Child Health Sciences Act 2019” and after detailed deliberations approved it in principal in terms of Rule 33(1) of the Punjab Government Rules of Business 2011”
The Punjab Cabinet approved the “Establishment of University of Child Health Sciences” on 16^th November 2020 as vetted by the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department in terms of Rule 33(5) of the Punjab Government rules of business 2011.
The Punjab Assembly approved the “University of Child Health Sciences Act 2021” on 4^th June 2021.
The “University of Child Health Sciences Act 2021” after approval from the Punjab Assembly was notified in the official Gazette on June 30, 2021.
As provided in the Act, the SHC & ME department notified the University of Child Health Sciences on 27^th July 2021
The project for the establishment of the University of Child Health Sciences was a last-minute exclusion from the ADP 2021-22 due to the “Sehat Card” allocation. Request for its inclusion in ADP through supplementary duly supported by the P&D was, however, approved by the CM and placed in the sub-committee of Finance.
The sub-committee of Finance approved the scheme “Establishment of University of Child Health Sciences” on 9^th March 2022, and allocated 500 million for the financial year 2021-22.
The syndicate of the University, as provided in the Act chaired by the pro-chancellor, was approved by the CM and notified by the SHC&ME department in December
PC-1 of the scheme (first phase) prepared by the IDAP and the University jointly, was approved in the PDWP meeting held on 15^th February 2022, at a total cost of 58 billion with a gestation period up to 30^th June 2025 (duly notified on 24^th February 2022).

In compliance thereof SHC & ME Department constituted a committee of relevant experts to review the proposal as per standing committee instructions on 30th September 2019:

Prof. Sajid Maqbool, Eminent Paediatrician, Professor Emeritus and Chairman BOM The Children’s Hospital Lahore- Convener
Prof. Tahir Masood Ahmad, Eminent Paediatrician, Professor of Paediatrics, and Principal Rashid Latif Medical College, Lahore.
Prof. Aamer Zaman Khan, Vice Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Lahore
Mr. Awais Rauf, Chairman Board of Management, University of Lahore, Lahore.

The Committee reviewed/deliberated on 2nd October 2019 and also visited the site. The concept was endorsed with the proposal for establishment of Children’s Hospitals at all divisional head quarters linked to the university and all Mother and Child hospitals being established across Punjab also linked to the University. The core components were proposed as under:

College of Paediatrics and Child Health (Constituent College)
College of Paediatric Nursing
College of Paediatric Allied Health Sciences
Institute of Genetics and Research (including animal lab)
Foetal, Maternal and Neonatal Health Centre
Institute of Nutrition, Preventive & Social Paediatrics
Advanced Technology and Telehealth Centre

The matter was placed before the standing committee again on 19^th November 2019 for approval, in principal in terms of sub-rule (1) of rule 33 of the Punjab Government rules of business 2011. The standing committee considered and deferred the draft bill again with some further observations. The already formulated committee once again reviewed/deliberated on 19^th December 2019, in light of the observations of the standing committee of cabinet on Legislative Business. The case was placed before the standing committee of cabinet on Legislative Business on 3^rd March 2020, for the third time. The standing committee of cabinet on Legislative Business considered the draft bill titled “ University of Child Health Sciences Act 2019” and after detailed deliberations approved it in principal in terms of Rule 33(1) of the Punjab Government Rules of Business 2011”

APPROVAL FROM PUNJAB ASSEMBLY

The Punjab Cabinet approved the “Establishment of University of Child Health Sciences” on 16^th November 2020 as vetted by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department in terms of the Rule 33(5) of the Punjab Government rules of business 2011. The Punjab Assembly approved the “University of Child Health Sciences Act 2021” on 4^th June 2021. The “University of Child Health Sciences Act 2021” after approval from Punjab Assembly was notified in the official Gazette on June 30, 2021. As provided in the Act, the SHC& ME department notified the University of Child Health Sciences on 27^th July 2021 The project for establishment of the University of Child Health Sciences, was a last minute exclusion from the ADP 2021-22 due to “Sehat Card” allocation. Request for its inclusion in ADP through supplementary duly supported by the P&D was however, approved by the CM and placed in sub-committee of Finance. The sub-committee of Finance approved the scheme “Establishment of University of Child Health Sciences” on 9^th March 2022, and allocated 500 million for the financial year 2021-22. The syndicate of the University, as provided in the Act chaired by the pro-chancellor, was approved by the CM and notified by the SHC&ME department on December 2021.

PC-1 of the scheme (first phase) prepared by the IDAP and the University jointly, was approved in PDWP meeting held on 15^th February 2022, at a total cost of 8.386 billion with gestation period up to 30^th June 2025 (duly notified on 24^th February 2022).