Muharramul Haram: PIMS, allied hospitals to remain on high alert

Islamabad: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad and allied hospitals in Rawalpindi would be on high alert on 9thand 10th of Muharram-ul-Haraam, Thursday and Friday to provide medical cover to public and to deal with any bigger emergency if needed.

The filter clinics of the hospital would receive new patients as the outpatient department at PIMS would not operate from Thursday to Sunday though emergency department has been further strengthened and almost all senior doctors and consultants would remain on call to deal with, God forbid, any emergency or disaster, said Executive Director at PIMS Dr. Amjad Mehmood while talking to ‘The News’ on Tuesday.

He added that he himself would monitor working of the staff during Muharram holidays and it has been ensured that every patient would be accommodated as per requirement. Special arrangements have already been made at filter clinics and emergency department to accommodate patients reaching the hospital.

It has been decided that senior level officials including directors would remain present within the premises of the hospital during Muharram holidays while a good number of beds have already been reserved for any emergency, said Deputy Director at PIMS Dr. Waseem Ahmed Khawaja.

He added PIMS has disaster management plan that would immediately be implemented in case of any disaster. Additional medicines and necessary equipment for surgical procedures have been arranged in emergency department under the plan.

He said well over 500 doctors and more than 400 nurses would serve during holidays and more than 100 bags of different blood groups have been arranged in blood bank for emergency cases.

He added that heads of all departments including medicine, surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedics and general surgery would monitor working in their respective departments during Muharram holidays and would remain on call.

Similarly, the outpatient departments of the allied hospitals in Rawalpindi would not operate on 9th and 10th of Muharram however, the accident and emergency departments along with dengue fever counters and indoor patient departments would be operational as per routine.

Dengue fever wards established at the allied hospitals for treatment of dengue fever patients would operate as per routine while administrations at the allied hospitals claimed to have taken necessary measures to strengthen emergency services during Ashura.

Till 10th of Muharram, surgeons, neurosurgeons, anaesthetists and specialists would remain on duty at the allied hospitals while all the ambulances available at the teaching hospitals would be ready to operate immediately in case of any emergency.

Registrars from almost all departments including surgery, medicines and gynaecology would remain available to the allied hospitals round the clock during the holidays while senior registrars from all departments would also be on call. Under disaster management plan, the emergency departments of the teaching hospitals have been equipped with necessary medicines to deal with any unpleasant incident.