Peshawar Institute of Cardiology to treat Covid-19 patients

PESHAWAR: The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to utilize the newly constructed building of Peshawar Institute of Cardiology (PIC) for the treatment of coronavirus-infected patients.

This decision was taken at a meeting of Provincial Task Force on Covid-19 chaired here on Wednesday by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, said a handout.

Health Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Minister for Labour Shaukat Yousafzai, Advisor to CM on Information Ajmal Wazir, Chief Secretary Kazim Niaz, Additional Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir, Inspector General Police Sanaullah Abbasi, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt-General Nauman Mahmood, administrative secretaries of relevant departments and other officials attended the meeting.

It directed the Health Department to take necessary steps to ensure the availability of the required trained human resource, including doctors, paramedics and nurses so that the hospital could be operationalized without any delay.

The meeting gave go-ahead to the Health Department to conduct walk-in-interviews for hiring human resource of different cadres to functionalize the Peshawar Institute of Cardiology for the treatment of coronavirus-infected patients.

Similarly, Communication and Works Department, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited and Peshawar Electric Supply Company were directed to ensure immediate utility connections in the building of PIC.

Earlier, the participants of the meeting were briefed about the latest situation of Covid-19 across the province, enforcement of smart lockdown, progress made to enhance the capacity of public sector hospitals and other matters related to coronavirus pandemic.

The participants stressed the need for making the smart lockdown more effective and ensure the strict implementation of standard operating procedures (SoPs) in markets directing the divisional and district administrations to take appropriate steps to this effect.

The chief minister directed that the issue of SoPs violation be taken up with the elected representatives of the traders community and they be given a couple of days for ensuring its implementation or else markets be closed down.

The meeting underlined the need to devise an effective strategy to contain the possible outbreak of coronavirus pandemic during the upcoming Eid ul Adha. I committee was constituted headed by Secretary Home for the purpose. It was also decided that cattle markets would be established only in the specific areas under proper SoPs.

The meeting participants were informed that public healthcare capacity for critical care patients had been increased whereas steps were being taken on an emergency footing to enhance the capacity.

The meeting was told that with the support of the National Disaster Management Authority, 450 additional beds would be added to the current capacity of Peshawar Institute of Cardiology, Women & Children Hospital Rajjar, Charsadda and Women & Children Block, Ayub Teaching Hospital in Abbottabad.

Up to 40 ICU beds, 110 HDU beds and 100 Isolation beds would be provided to Peshawar Institute of Cardiology by mid of July. The total capacity of coronavirus testing in the province has been increased to above 3500 test per day.