New emergency department completed in PIMS

ISLAMABAD: In an indication that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government is finally waking up to the demands of better health facilities, a new emergency department has been completed at one of the largest public sector hospitals of the country to ensure better treatment of victims of trauma, accidents and terrorism incidents.

The new emergency building has been constructed in just two and a half months without any public money as the entire project was completed with donations worth Rs25 million. The project is ready for inauguration in next few days.

According to a seasoned surgeon and trauma expert at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the project is a brainchild the Minister of State for Capital Administration & Development Division (CAD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chauhdry who was not happy with the deteriorating services at the Islamabad’s largest government hospital.

“Hundreds of patients visit old emergency every day making it difficult for doctors and staff to provide quality care to seriously ill patients,” he said, adding that the new emergency will filter out the walk-in patients who come to emergency with minor ailments.

He said it was extremely important to improve emergency department of PIMS as it could save many lives. Talking to The News, the minister of state for health said the new emergency will be a 25-bed facility with state-of-the-art machinery.

“It will free up the 40-bed main emergency for serious patients like victims of bomb blasts, road accidents and other tragedies,” the minister said, adding that not a single penny was spent from the exchequer to build the new facility.

He applauded the services of new PIMS Executive Director Dr Fazle Maula and Prof Khaleeq-uz-Zaman, former head of neurosurgery at the institute for completion of the project. Dr Tariq said famous businessmen, some doctors and philanthropists donated generously for the project but donors did not want to be named.  The new emergency will be equipped with 11 imported ventilators, X-ray machines and other necessary medical infrastructure, Dr Tariq said. All diagnostic tests at this emergency will be done for free, he added.

The minister said the government is aware of growing health needs of Islamabad residents and the plans are underway to improve other wards and services at PIMS and other public sector hospitals of the capital.

He said the old emergency will be revamped and soon it will be better than the best private hospital of the capital. “PIMS has to provide services to patients from Kashmir to Peshawar and northern areas, so it has to be well-equipped,” the minister said.