PIMS receives over 3,000 patients with gastro during Eid holidays

Islamabad: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences received extra burden of patients during Eidul Azha holidays, from August 21 to 23, at its emergency department as the outpatient department of the hospital was not operational from Tuesday to Thursday in connection with Eid holidays.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Friday has revealed that during Eid holidays, the PIMS emergency department received well over 3000 patients with gastroenteritis, inflammation of the stomach and intestinal lining that causes vomiting and diarrhoea.

Majority of these patients were suffering from moderate to severe diarrhoea requiring admission to the hospital. In most of the cases, the cause of infection was found to be overeating, excessive use of meat dishes and eating from various food outlets apart from use of contaminated water for drinking, said Deputy Director at PIMS Dr. Waseem Ahmed Khawaja while talking to ‘The News’ on Friday.

He added 60 per cent of the patients who reached PIMS with gastro were males while 40 per cent females. Nearly 90 per cent of the total patients reached PIMS with gastro during Eid holidays were with dehydration and needed intravenous fluids, he said.

He informed ‘The News’ that a total of over 4,000 IV drips were administered to patients reached PIMS with mild to moderate and severe dehydration from Tuesday to Thursday while over 1200 persons were administered tetanus toxoid injections (TT). TT injections were administered to patients who reached PIMS after suffering injuries in different types of accidents including road traffic accidents and injuries suffered after hitting by sacrificial animals, said Dr. Khawaja.

He said the PIMS also received a number of heart patients and diabetics with complications but majority of these were not with severe complications. Well over 1500 cases of OPD nature including diabetics, heart patients but not in critical condition and patients with fever and other mild to moderate ailments were reported at PIMS during Eid holidays, he said. During Eid holidays, PIMS received as many as 24 patients who were robbed on the way after being intoxicated, he said.