Preparations: Public hospitals to remain on high alert

All doctors on call; blood bags and beds arranged in emergency depts

ISLAMABAD: All three major public hospitals of the twin cities remained on high alert during the ninth of Muharram to deal with any untoward situation.

Doctors at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) were on call, and over 100 bags of blood and over 20 extra beds were arranged in the emergency department of the hospital.

Similar initiatives were taken at the Polyclinic Hospital, Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarter Hospital, Rawalpindi and will continue to be on high alert today (Saturday).

Meanwhile, most of the health staff working for dengue prevention and control in Rawalpindi faced immense problems due to closed roads, shortage of public transport and suspension of cellular services.

Dengue control

Talking to The Express Tribune, one of the health workers who requested not to be named said they faced issues in arranging public transport to the hospital in the morning.“Many of us had to wait for hours on roads for public transport,” he said. Moreover, many roads were closed adding to the inconvenience.

“The government should make some special arrangements for us on public holidays so that we can perform our duties well,” said the worker.

An official in the Rawalpindi health department, requesting anonymity, said Muharram holidays have been cancelled in order to continue efforts to combat the spread of dengue in the city.

“A slight break in the efforts for the control and prevention of the disease could worsen the situation therefore, holidays of the health workers were cancelled,” he added.

“Moreover rain is expected over the weekend and it is believed that it would bring down the mercury level to 20 degree centigrade or below which will increase the risk for dengue,” he said.

So far the number of people tested positive for dengue in Rawalpindi has reached 2,000.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2015.