Terrorism aftermath: Hospitals scramble to provide care

Majority of the victims were from outside Lahore; attending flag-lowering ceremony.



LAHORE: Tragic scenes were witnessed at several city hospitals when victims of a suicide attack at Wagah Border were brought there on Sunday evening.

A majority of the victims were initially taken to Ghurki Trust Hospital, some 2.5 kilometres away from the site of bombing that has claimed at least 50 lives.

Some of the injured were later taken to Services, Mayo and Shalamar Hospitals.



Family members of a bombing victim grieve at Services Hospital (Above). Rangers personnel stand guard in front of the Ghurki Trust Hospital (Top). PHOTOS: AYESHA MIR, SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS



Many of the injured were from outside Lahore and had gone to the border to participate in the flag-lowering ceremony and the parade that are arranged daily.

“We are doing our best to treat the injured. Doctors and paramedics who had gone home after duty have been called back,” Naeem Ghurki, the Ghurki Hospital director told reporters.

“At least 44 bodies and more than 100 injured have been brought to the hospital,” Ghurki said. A doctor at the hospital said the death toll could rise as several injured were in critical situation.

“Most of the injured had wounds from ball bearing. Many of them have deep wounds… nails and shrapnel were found in their bodies,” the doctor said.

The Health Department had declared an ‘emergency’ at all teaching hospitals in the city soon after the bombing.

“Hospitals have been asked to stay alert. We also request citizens to come ahead and donate blood,” a spokesman for the Health Department said.

“A number of the injured are being treated at Services Hospital. There is an infant in the Emergency Department and we don’t know anything about his family or their whereabouts. If any family has lost a child, they should come and check with us,” a doctor at the hospital said.



The Ghurki Hospital administration said they had received 50 bodies; 36 of them had been taken to Mayo Hospital, four to Services Hospital. Three bodies were received by Rangers and seven by the relatives.”

It said 111 injured were brought to the hospital of which 16 were referred to other hospitals.

It said 14 people were brought with minor injuries. They were discharged after they were given first aid.

Pakistan Peoples Party Lahore president Samina Khalid Ghurki supervised the emergency services at the hospital.

She said an emergency had been declared at the hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2014.

COMMENTS (1)

imran | 9 years ago | Reply

The private hospitals now calling themselves as trust hospital. But will not touch anybody in case of emergency untill their fees are paid. It is a shame and all such trusts should be bound to treat emergencies free of cost.

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