Space-less Paeds wards in Pindi hospitals

Rawalpindi : Two of the three allied hospitals in town including Holy Family Hospital and Benazir Bhutto Hospital that operate complete paediatrics departments have been facing severe shortage of space in wards at paediatrics departments for years and no extension plan has so far come up with success in accommodating child patients requiring hospitalization at allied hospitals.

During healthy season like the one in existence when there is no epidemic or outbreak of any infection, the paediatrics departments at the allied hospitals have to keep nearly 400 child patients on 266 beds available at the HFH and BBH including 25 beds allocated for emergency patients only.

In June last year, in 2017, a PC-1 was sent to the provincial health department through Vice Chancellor Rawalpindi Medical University demanding extension of paediatrics departments by 100 beds at the BBH and HFH but no action has so far been taken by the provincial government so far, said Assistant Professor of Paediatrics at Rawalpindi Medical University and Incharge Paediatrics Department at HFH Dr. Tariq Saeed while talking to ‘The News’.

He added that the paeds departments have also requested for extension of their emergency departments by 30 beds some four months back however, “we are still waiting for the health department’s response.”

Giving details, he said the allied hospitals are receiving nearly 1000 child patients at their outpatients departments daily on average including over 450 patients at HFH, 300 to 350 patients at BBH and over 200 patients at District Headquarters Hospital that provides OPD services to child patients only.

On average, the HFH and BBH receive 300 to 350 patients at their emergency departments daily while at present, around 400 child patients are hospitalized that amounts to 1.5 patients on a bed, he said.

The HFH has 136 beds in wards while 15 beds are available for emergency patients and at the BBH there are 105 beds in wards while 10 for emergency patients. The total 266 beds available for child patients at HFH and BBH also include 15 extra beds arranged locally each at BBH and HFH.

The paeds departments at the BBH and HFH witnessed extensions time and again in last two to three decades but the increasing influx of patients made the extensions insufficient, said Professor Tariq adding once the HFH had only 50 beds in its paeds department.

Responding to a query, he said to cater to the needs of child patients, the allied hospitals have to keep two or even more patients on a single bed particularly during epidemics and outbreaks. However, the paeds departments do not refuse treatment to any patient and admit each and every patient in need of treatment in hospital despite shortage of space, he said.