PIMS honours its Covid staff

Islamabad : The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), which was designated as the primary site for treatment and facilitation of corona infection patients in Islamabad Capital Territory, hosted a colourful ceremony here Saturday to honour the extraordinary contribution of its teams ever since the start of the pandemic in February 2020.

A gathering of over 100 staff members from all cadres attended the ceremony; they included doctors, nurses, and support staff. The ceremony recognised workers who have excelled in terms of performance, with some having embraced martyrdom in the line of duty.

The Chairman of the Board of Governors of Federal Medical Teaching Institutes Khawaja Saad Saleem was the chief guest on the occasion. Appreciating the PIMS staff for offering remarkable COVID-19 treatment services in the face of multiple challenges, he termed the effort as being the ‘best example of team work wherein all employees were equally valued—ranging from ward boys to cleaners and professors.’

Khwaja Saad stated that given the noble nature of the responsibilities entrusted to PIMS staff, he maximised his official capacity to facilitate the staff—be they matters pertaining to release of Covid allowance or promotions. “I always aspired to resolve matters in liaison with the Ministry of National Health Services,” he said. Being from the corporate sector, he claimed being fully aware of the importance of valuing one’s staff to reinforce the culture of working even harder. “I foresee a culture of excellence where quality services will be offered at par with international standards. Merit and accountability will be the cornerstone of the practice,” he added. Saad said, now that PIMS has opened its doors to all patients, the hospital staff’s responsibilities have increased manifold.

In his opening remarks, Dean Prof. Rizwan Taj termed PIMS as a premier center of excellence for ICT—a center that has always proved its mettle in the face of calamities—be it the 2004 earthquake or the current most challenging task to date of managing the Covid pandemic. “This pandemic has been the biggest challenge that PIMS has had to face to date, and it is a matter of pride that the endeavor has been successfully accomplished through sheer hard work and commitment. Precious lives were saved and thousands were facilitated,” he stated. Dr. Rizwan said, PIMS, in conjunction with the Ministry of National Health Services, will explore other ways as well to honour and appreciate the dedication of health workers.

Hospital Director Dr. Minhaj Us Siraj appreciated the performance of PIMS staff. He said he was fully supportive of all their genuine demands. He reiterated that the fourth wave is a big challenge and that the PIMS team will react as required. Dr. Siraj cautioned healthcare workers against getting relaxed with reference to their own protective measures and less responsive to SOPs. He was appreciative of the battleground hardened staff of PIMS but still requested them to perform duties extremely beyond the call of duty as the countrymen need them more than ever. In the end, appreciation certificates were presented to the staff.