CS for monitoring corona patients treatment in private hospitals

LAHORE:The Chief Secretary Punjab on Friday directed the Provincial Healthcare Commission to carry out monitoring of the treatment of corona patients in private hospitals and ensure that medical facilities are being provided to them at the fixed charges on the allocated beds.

He gave this direction while presiding over a meeting at the Civil Secretariat. The meeting reviewed the situation of coronavirus in the province, treatment facilities for the patients and supply of oxygen in the hospitals. The Additional Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and senior civil and military officials attended the meeting. The divisional commissioners and RPOs briefed the meeting on the implementation of SOPs through video link.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Secretary issued instructions regarding monitoring of implementation of SOPs at bus stands and mosques. He mentioned that strict enforcement of SOPs in public places, especially markets, is imperative to contain the spread of the pandemic, adding that in case of violation, the entire market should be sealed.

The chief secretary said that suitable places should be selected for setting up new vaccination centers and in this regard the proportion of population should be taken into consideration. He directed the Secretary Primary Health to prepare an emergency plan in case of demand of oxygen for corona patients rises beyond the estimate.

7,381 beds reserved: Around 7,381 beds have been reserved in all government hospitals for COVID-19 patients out of which 4,391 beds are unoccupied. In a handout issued on Friday, Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department, (SHC&MED) Punjab Secretary Nabeel Ahmed Awan further said that 1,623 beds were reserved in government hospitals of the provincial metropolis and of these 829 beds were vacant so far. The Secretary SHC&MED further said that in view of the surging corona pandemic, the department had arranged 3,373 beds in isolation wards of all government hospitals in the province, out of which, 2,450 beds were vacant. He said that 450 beds for corona patients were reserved in isolation wards set up in government hospitals of Lahore and 321 beds were unoccupied. He further said that the health department had arranged 728 ventilators for corona patients in all hospitals of the provincial government, of which 414 ventilators were under use while 314 were unoccupied. Around 270 ventilators were reserved in Lahore hospitals, of which 217 were occupied and 54 ventilators were vacant, said Nabeel Awan.