Yasmin opens dengue field hospital at Lahore Expo Centre

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid inaugurated a 280-bed dengue field hospital at Expo Centre here Sunday.

The minister visited different units to see the arrangements. Special Secretary Ajmal Bhatti and Consultant Asad Aslam Khan gave a detailed briefing to the minister about the arrangements. The minister met doctors and staff and advised them to take good care of patients.

Speaking to media during her visit, the minister said the government had provided doctors, paramedical staff along with oxygen and medicine supplies in the hospital. Dr Asad Aslam has been made the focal person of the Expo Field Hospital. Doctors from Lahore’s General, Services, Jinnah and Mayo Hospitals have been deputed at the Field Hospital. Right information must be given to people instead rumours, she advised and maintained that there was no shortage of beds for dengue patients in Lahore and all such news were false. Based on increase in number of patients, the number of beds was being increased, she said adding a total of 1,209 beds had been reserved for dengue patients, including those at the expo field hospitals.

She said the expo centre field hospital had been made functional for 24 hours and CBC shall be provided within 45 seconds. Free treatment for fever shall be given to all. All tests shall be done free-of-cost.

Currently 28 dengue patients are critically ill. In case a patient having fever is unable to travel to the hospital, they can contact 1122 and they shall be transported to nearby public sector hospital. The helpline for dengue is 042-99211134-6, she added.

The minister said that around 3,750 patients had been registered so far. In the last 24 hours, 177 cases were reported. Most private hospitals have reserved beds for dengue with support of health department. All private labs are conducting dengue test in Rs90 and test can only be done on recommendation of doctor. In government hospitals, this test is free-of-cost. In Lahore, the DHA area is currently reporting more cases. Surveillance was done for 55,000 homes and larva was found at 1,719 homes. There is case response once larva is found and around 50 homes in surrounding areas are sprayed. Corona is also being dealt with dengue at the same time.”

All vaccination centres are open for second dose even on Sundays. The positivity ratio is 2.9% in Lahore and 1.9% in Punjab, she said adding the corona situation is better now.

Responding to queries of journalists, the minister said that people can lodge complaint at control room about public sector hospitals. No patients shall be sent back coming to government hospitals with fever. Since January this year, eight people have lost their lives to dengue. Technical persons have been added in DEAG, and their inclusion was done on merit. The interviews for regular appointment of MS in hospitals shall be conducted on next Tuesday and Wednesday.

More than 50 people have applied for Teaching Hospitals in Lahore. Currently 28 beds in Mayo, 16 in General Hospital, nine in Services Hospital, 12 in Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital, 12 at Shahadra Teaching Hospital and four beds are unoccupied at Yakki Gate Hospital.

The hospitals under P&SHD i.e. Kahna, Bedian, Sabzazar and others areas have been given alert. Private hospitals have been directed to provide dengue treatment to Sehat Sahulat Card holders. We are setting up a new 350-bed emergency at Jinnah Hospital. Highest number of patient in-flow at emergency is reported at Jinnah Hospital, she concluded.