Private hospital pledges 200 beds for corona patients

PESHAWAR: A leading private health facility has pledged 200 beds to the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa free of charge for COVID-19 outbreak.

A press release issued by Ziaur Rehman, Chief Executive Officer, Northwest General Hospital & Research Centre, renewed the commitment by the hospital management to ensure the best possible practices for patients, staff members and visitors to the hospital.

It said a staff nurse of Northwest General Hospital & Research Centre (NWGH) presented with symptoms consistent with coronavirus (COVID-19). The staff nurse was isolated and her laboratory sample sent to a neighboring hospital for testing for COVID-19 Coronavirus, which was found negative. As per government protocol, the patient was referred to Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) which, at that time, was the official point of contact for the suspected coronavirus patients.

Another test, as carried out by Khyber Medical University via HMC, was found positive. Following the official government protocol, and with the consent of the staff nurse, she was admitted to the HMC for treatment.

The press release said the government has now officially allowed Northwest General Hospital & Research Centre to treat the staff nurse and NWGH is in the process of finalizing the details. It said the NWGH followed the government protocol for testing and treatment of coronavirus patients and the same was adhered to, in the case of the said staff nurse.