DID ready to deal with dengue cases at Red Crescent Hospital

Rawalpindi: The Department of Infectious Diseases of Holy Family Hospital that was shifted to Red Crescent Hospital near to College Chowk along Saidpur Road because of repair and maintenance work at the HFH is well prepared to accommodate dengue fever patients.

The DID, at present, is operating with 75-bedded ward at Red Crescent Hospital to deal with the patients coming to the hospital with different communicable diseases including dengue fever patients and probable cases of the infection and we have been continuously working on sensitizing the staff working at the department, said Head of DID Professor Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan while talking to ‘The News’ on Friday.

It is important that the District Health Authority Rawalpindi has reported a total of four confirmed cases of dengue fever from Rawalpindi district so far this year. Dr. Mujeeb, however, said the DID had received two confirmed cases of dengue fever some two months back. He added that there have not been any reports of even sporadic cases of the infection from Rawalpindi district at the time but the DID is holding training workshops of the staff on a regular basis to deal with patients in case of a possible spread of the infection in the coming weeks.

Dengue fever is characterized by symptoms including sudden onset of fever, headache, rashes, nausea, vomiting, generalized weakness and fatigue, myalgia (muscular pains), arthralgia (pains in joints of the body) and rigors (severe feeling of cold). Anyone developing symptoms of the infection should immediately report to the nearest healthcare facility and should not take the case lightly, said Dr. Mujeeb.

The infectious diseases’ department has a capacity of 75 beds including a high dependency unit that is well equipped to handle patients with communicable diseases requiring intensive care. The HDU is equipped with cardiac monitors and regular oxygen supply, he said.

It is worth mentioning here that the population in this region of the country, in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, faced severe nature of dengue fever outbreak in 2014 and at that time, in August 2014, the administration at Rawalpindi Medical College planned to establish a complete infectious diseases’ department that got operational in 2015. The DID has been considered as the best facility in the region to manage dengue fever patients since then.

Professor Mujeeb said the department has already made all the arrangements required for the management of dengue fever patients and probable cases. The district health department is providing an update to the allied hospitals including HFH regarding the dengue situation in the region on a regular basis, he said. He added the DID has a well-equipped ward with isolation standards required to keep and manage patients with dengue fever.