‘40 beds with ventilators to be added to PIMS ICU’

Islamabad : Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services Dr Nausheen Hamid informed the National Assembly that 40 beds with ventilators in Intensive Care Units (ICU) and 154 beds in other wards, will be added to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

Responding to a query during Question Hour, she said that PIMS had 86 ventilators in various departments and presently all were functional. She said that there were 21 beds in children hospital ICU ward, 11 in cardiac ICU ward which had been equipped with ventilators.

She said that in case of non-availability of bed in ICU ward, patients were counselled and informed about the status and then referred to the other sister public organisations like federal government polyclinic and army hospital. She said that strengthening primary healthcare was the top priority of the government.

She said reforms were also being introduced in important departments such as Drug Regulatory Authority.

The secretary said that expansion of Mother Care Hospital and neonatology department with the assistance of JICA was under process.

She said that to overcome the shortage, about 184 doctors had been appointed while process to appoint 101 more was in progress.