PIMS allocates 20 beds for dengue patients

Islamabad: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has designated a 20-bedded room for dengue patients ahead of the monsoon season, which is likely to begin next week.

According to a senior staff member of the hospital, the largest government-run in the capital city, the anti-dengue room has all the facilities for the patients suffering from the mosquito-borne disease.

He said the hospital had trained 150 staff members, including doctors, nurses and paramedics, on dengue treatment and secured medicines in adequate quantity.

Meanwhile, doctors said dengue outbreaks occurred during the rainy season, when conditions were perfect for mosquito breeding.  They said there was no vaccine to prevent human infection by dengue virus, personal protection and the environmental management of mosquitoes were important in preventing illness.

The doctors asked the people to install wire gauze on doors and windows, use mosquito nets when sleeping in the open, and cover pits of stagnant water, sand or mud around houses and destroy old tyres and vessels that store water as they were a good source of mosquito breeding.