Hospitals put on alert to face emergency

LAHORE: Keeping in view the country’s current situation, Punjab Health Department has issued the directions to all public sector hospitals of the province to remain alert in order to deal with any untoward situation.

On the direction of Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Secretary Primary & Secondary Health Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman has written a letter to all CEOs and Medical Superintendents of district headquarters hospitals (DHQs) and tehsil headquarters hospitals (THQs) of the province.

The minister said 25 percent of total beds as well as 25 percent of total medicines stock of all DHQs and THQs have been allocated to cope with any emergency. The minister directed to provide additional blood bags of all blood groups in the hospitals. It is worth mentioning that Blood Transfusion Authority will provide additional 500 blood bags to DHQs whereas 300 additional blood bags would be provided to THQs. Immediate emergency disaster plan has been evolved for all the hospitals. She directed that advance life support training course should be arranged immediately with the help of master trainers of Rescue 1122, for nurses and paramedical staff of all the public sector hospitals. Additional drips and bandages for 100 patients should be made available in emergency wards. She said availability of anesthesia and oxygen cylinders should be ensured for dealing with any untoward situation. Number of senior medical experts should be doubled in emergency wards of every hospital. She said all the entrance and exit points of all the hospitals would remain clear and all the fire extinguishing equipment should be kept operational.

Meanwhile, a meeting chaired by provincial health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid was held in the office of secretary specialised healthcare and medical education here Friday. All the private stakeholders of health sector assured health minister of their full cooperation in case of any possible untoward situation.

According to a handout, the meeting was also attended by Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association, CEOs of private medical colleges, owners of private hospitals and pharmacy chains, Edhi and other stakeholders. Edhi ambulance service announced handing over 150 ambulances to the health department to cope with any emergency.

Dr Yasmin Rashid said that the whole nation was looking towards Prime Minister Imran Khan for the defence and solidarity of the country. She said assurance of complete cooperation with Punjab health department by private sector in order to cope with any emergency was a good omen. She said all the hospitals of the province were put on alert and life saving drugs and blood bags had also been made available, besides, senior medical experts, doctors have been deputed in all district headquarters and tehsil headquarters hospitals.

Services Hospital: Services Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Saleem Shahzad Cheema presiding over a meeting on Friday directed all the departments of the hospital to remain high alert.

According to a press release, it was decided in the meeting that no doctor, nurse or staff member would be getting off till further orders. A central control room to monitor time to time situation would also be set up.

Dr Saleem Shahzad directed that sufficient quantity of all medicines, including life-saving drugs, should be available while operation theatres should be completely functional. He said 150 to 200 blood donors should be in loop to get blood any time. Similarly, the security staff and CCTV cameras should be in working position and provision of uninterrupted electricity be ensured through power generators.