PIMS, allied hospitals to remain on high alert

Islamabad
The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the three allied hospitals in Rawalpindi would remain on high alert on 9th and 10th of Muharram-ul-Haraam, Friday and Saturday, to provide medical cover to public and deal with any emergency, if needed.
The outpatient department at the PIMS would not operate during Muharram holidays, however, the hospital would remain on high alert. The emergency department has been further strengthened while holidays of all staff members have been cancelled. No doctor can leave duty station without permission from Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University Vice Chancellor Professor Javed Akram.
Talking to 'The News' on Thursday, PIMS Deputy Director Dr. Waseem Ahmed Khawaja said that PIMS Administrator Dr. Altaf Hussain would monitor working of the staff during holidays.
He said that it has been decided that all directors would remain present on the premises of the hospital, while as many as 20 beds have been reserved for any emergency which could be increased in case of, God forbid, any emergency during Muharram holidays. The PIMS has a disaster management plan which would immediately be implemented in case of any emergency, he said.
Additional medicines for 500 patients and necessary equipment for surgical procedures have been arranged for the emergency department under the plan. Over 500 doctors and more than 400 nurses would serve during holidays and more than 100 bags of different blood groups have been arranged at the Blood Bank for emergency cases, he said.
He said that all heads of departments, including medicine, surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedics and general surgery, would monitor working in their respective departments during Muharram holidays and would visit their wards daily to check arrangements made for emergencies.
Dr. Khawaja said that in case of emergency, anyone can call PIMS telephone exchange through 051-9261170 and the operator there would contact the vice chancellor and administrator in case of any emergency information. "People can also contact me on mobile phone number 0300-9549597 in case of any emergency during holidays," said Dr. Khawaja.
Similarly, the outpatient departments of the allied hospitals in Rawalpindi would not operate on 9th and 10th of Muharram. However, accident and emergency departments along with dengue fever counters and indoor patient departments would be operational as per routine.
The dengue fever wards established at the allied hospitals for treatment of dengue fever patients would operate as per routine while administrations of the allied hospitals claimed to have taken necessary measures to strengthen emergency services during 'Ashura'.
Till 10th of Muharram, surgeons, neurosurgeons, anesthetists and specialists would remain on duty at the allied hospitals while all ambulances available at the teaching hospitals would be ready to operate immediately in case of any emergency.
The registrars of surgery, medicine and gynaecology departments 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 the disaster management plan, the emergency departments of the teaching hospitals have been provided necessary medicines to deal with any unpleasant incident.