Holy Family Hospital ready to deal with dengue patients

Rawalpindi:The peak season for transmission of dengue fever in this region of the country has set in as over 50 individuals belonging to the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have already tested positive for the infection and a number of health experts have started expressing that the population in the region may face a severe dengue fever outbreak in a month or so.

The Department of Infectious Diseases (DID) of Rawalpindi Medical University established at Holy Family Hospital that is operating at Red Crescent Hospital near to College Chowk along Saidpur Road for over nine-and-a-half months claimed to have been well prepared to deal with dengue fever patients. The Department of Infectious Diseases was shifted to Red Crescent Hospital on October 22 last year because of repair and maintenance work at the HFH.

The Department of Infectious Diseases that could not be shifted back to HFH as yet is well prepared at Red Crescent Hospital to deal with a significant influx of dengue fever patients in case of an outbreak, said Head of DID Professor Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan while talking to ‘The News’. He said that DID is dealing with probable, suspected and confirmed cases of the infection however the number of patients reaching the department is low at the time.

It is important that the HFH has so far received not more than 20 confirmed cases of dengue fever this year however a surge in the cases is being expected within a month or so. The department has 60 beds at Red Crescent Hospital along with a high dependency unit having eight beds, said Dr. Mujeeb.

He said the department could not be shifted back to the HFH as the repair and maintenance work there is still going on. The high dependency unit at DID is well equipped to handle patients with communicable diseases requiring intensive care. The HDU is equipped with cardiac monitors and regular oxygen supply.

It is important to mention that DID was established in 2015 specifically to provide treatment to patients with any of the communicable diseases like dengue fever, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, Swine Flu and Multi-drug Resistant Tuberculosis and at that time, it was the first department of infectious diseases established in public sector in Pakistan.

Dr. Mujeeb said DID is operating a well-equipped infection diseases ward and following isolation standards to keep and manage patients with communicable diseases and infections like dengue fever. He, however, said the standard of services at the department would be far better after its shifting to the HFH.

He said after the shifting of the department to the HFH building, the patients would be able to have all allied services including testing facilities under one roof.