Up-graded ground floor of BBH OPD being inaugurated today

Rawalpindi

The outpatient department at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) that has been up-graded through renovation work at the ground floor of the building along with developing more waiting areas for the patients and their attendants would be inaugurated here today (Monday) afternoon.

The OPD building has been renovated under an annual development programme scheme approved for uplifting of hospital building with a budgetary allocation amounting to over Rs32 million however, the capacity of the hospital to accommodate OPD patients has not been enhanced under the up-gradation scheme.

Central leader of PML (N) Muhammad Hanif Abbassi would inaugurate the commissioning of up-graded OPD building at the BBH while Chairman Board of Management of Allied Hospitals Dr. Muhammad Aslam would be guest of honour at the inaugural ceremony, said Medical Superintendent at BBH Dr. Asif Qadir Mir while talking to ‘The News’ on Sunday.

Talking of the up-gradation work, he said more waiting areas have been developed on the ground floor of the OPD along with renovation of the existing washrooms. Nearly Rs32.5 million have been spent on the up-gradation of the OPD at the hospital, he said

It is important that the patients visiting BBH OPD have been suffering badly for long because of shortage of space and lack of facilities including washrooms. The BBH OPD receives as many as 2000 to 2500 patients daily on average while its OPD building had seating capacity for not more than 400 patients in its waiting areas. Hundreds of patients had to stand in corridors of the OPD building for hours while waiting for their turn for check-up.

With the heavy influx of patients at the BBH OPD daily, the space particularly its corridors becomes too crowded and congested causing difficulties for hundreds of patients including women and children.

After up-gradation of the ground floor of OPD at the BBH, the seating capacity in the waiting areas would become slightly over 700 however according to hospital sources, it may be sufficient to cater to the needs of patients visiting the OPD.

When asked, Dr. Mir said the capacity of the BBH OPD on the subject of accommodating patients would be enhanced soon and the administration has already been working out a plan for it.

He said the BBH has already vacated old canteen operating in front of OPD building within the premises of the hospital and has planned to develop an additional block of OPD at the space vacated.