Guidelines for shifting patients to hospital

LAHORE : The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has issued directions to the authorities concerned regarding shifting Covid-19 patients to both private and public-sector hospitals.

Moreover, the PHC carried out special inspections of 32 major hospitals – 10 public and 22 private – for checking their preparedness to treat the Covid-19 patients.

The hospitals have been provided with guidance to improve their facilities and remove deficiencies immediately.

According to the transfer protocol of Covid-19 patients from one hospital to another, the hospital concerned will first inform the nominated officers of the PHC about it.

The officers will get clearance from the focal persons of the other hospital for the availability of beds and necessary preparations. Upon clearance, the patients will only be shifted Rescue 1122 ambulances.

Moreover, the hospitals have been instructed to treat these patients as per the guidelines of the Punjab government.

Also, the private teaching hospitals have been directed to treat the deserving patients as per the rules of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.

They have been advised to report contact details of the suspected and confirmed Covid-19 patients to the Provincial Disease Surveillance & Response Unit, Directorate General Health Services, Punjab.

helpline: A large number of people started using the helpline of the Lahore General Hospital set up to create awareness among people about the medical facilities.

The people from foreign countries and different cities of Punjab and Islamabad contacted the medical experts through the helpline get information about the treatment and precautionary measures against coronavirus.

According to the telephone records, people from London, Islamabad, Dunyapur, Multan, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Sialkot, Sahiwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Sheikhupura, Narowal and Gujrat shared their symptoms with the doctors and got guide from them.

Talking about this, Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Principal Dr Al-freed Zafar said that coronavirus was a fatal disease but the need was that the media played role to create awareness among public about the precautions against coronavirus.

Prof Al-freed said Helpline number 042-99268808-9 as well as Skype could be contacted round the clock to get information/advice from doctors at Lahore General Hospital.

Fumigation: Fumigation was carried out at the office of Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) to prevent spread of coronavirus.

Municipal workers fumigated various sections of the PSCA office.

The staff has been strictly directed to wash their hands with soap and also use sanitizers.