OPDs at allied hospitals to remain closed

Rawalpindi:Outpatient departments at the three teaching hospitals in town including Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital would remain closed from Friday (today) to Monday in connection with Eidul Azha holidays however, accident and emergency departments of the allied hospitals would operate as per routine during Eid holidays.

Emergency departments at the allied hospitals have been strengthened to accommodate not only emergency cases but also OPD patients round the clock during Eid holidays, from June 6 to June 9. Indoor patient departments would also operate as per routine during Eid holidays.

It is, however, important that the main operation theatres at BBH, HFH and RTH would remain closed from Friday to Monday and elective surgeries would not be performed during the holidays. Surgeries required in emergency cases, however, would be performed as per routine during the holidays.

The administrations of the allied hospitals claimed to have made all necessary arrangements to cater to the needs of patients reaching the hospitals in emergency during the holidays. The three teaching hospitals have made arrangements to manage at least 300 to 400 additional patients as compared to routine influx at their emergency departments to deal with, God forbid, any bigger emergency in the region during the holidays.

According to Rawalpindi Medical College Administration, duty rosters of the staff including doctors, nurses and paramedics for Eid holidays have already been prepared and distributed. The administration has claimed that the hospitals’ performance during Eid holidays would remain unaffected and the OPD patients would be entertained at the accident and emergency departments round the clock.

It is important that most of the private hospitals and clinics in the region do not offer their services during Eid holidays, particularly on the first and second day of Eid because of which the allied hospitals have to receive significantly a higher influx of patients at their emergency departments during holidays.

The RMC administration claimed that senior registrar level doctors would be available to patients in the three teaching hospitals during the four holidays while consultants, assistant professors and above, would be on call. Under disaster management plans, the hospitals have made special arrangements while essential medicines have already been arranged at the emergency departments of the hospitals for Eid holidays.