MTI Mardan: BoG approves purchase of more PPEs to protect staff from Covid-19

MARDAN: The Board of Governors (BoG) of the Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Mardan Medical Complex on Saturday approved arranging more personal protective equipment (PPEs) to protect the staff performing duty in the Covid-19 high-risk zone.

The BoG made the decision due to an increase in the demand for the PPEs for the health professionals.

The BoG directed that all the staff should be provided the necessary equipment to protect them from contracting the virus.

Chairman BoG Dr Syed Fazle Hadi chaired the meeting held through video link. The BoG members Tahir Ali Khan, Dr Shahid Khattak, Attaullah Khan Toru and senior journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai participated in the meeting.

Dean/CEO Bacha Khan Medical College (BKMC) Prof Dr Muhammad Fazil, Medical Director (MD) Prof Dr Mukhtiar Ali, Hospital Director (HD) Dr Tariq Mehmood, Deputy Hospital Director Dr Javed Iqbal, Secretary BoG Azhar Khan, Nursing Director Ms Mehrun Nisa, Associate Deans BKMC Prof Dr Mutasim Billah and Dr Abdul Jamil, Director Finance Muhammad Sheraz, Focal Person for COVID-19 Dr Sajjad Ali, Manager ITC Mohsin Khan and others attended the meeting.

Dr Tariq Mehmood apprised the BoG about the status of PPEs, its demand and availability. He requested the BoG to allow the hospital administration to arrange gloves, hand sanitizers, chlorine and soap to meet the demand.

He said that a German non-governmental organization, IDEA, has donated two incinerators, hospital beds, mattresses, pillows, bedsheets and surgical and face masks which will be formally handed over to the hospital administration in a ceremony to be organized in the near future. He added that a donor, Hussain Dawood, had provided PPEs to the hospital.

Briefing the BoG, Prof Dr Mukhtiar Ali said that 2,158 suspected patients had been brought to the hospital during the second wave of Covid-19 that started from November 3 last. He said that 79 patients tested positive, including 22 patients who expired.

He said 39 medical and auxiliary staff members, including 23 doctors, nurses, paramedics and technicians were infected in the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Prof Dr Mutasim Billah said that 7,942 PCRs tests were conducted, adding, 588 patients tested positive. He disclosed that 28 children under the age of 10 years also tested positive in the second wave of the infection when 465 were screened. He added that no children had tested positive during the first wave that started in March last year.

Dean/CEO Prof Dr Muhammad Fazil presented the case of a few medical staff members for promotions, which the BoG approved unanimously.