Healthcare facilities : New PIC emergency dept to open in March

Opp leader calls for angiography facilities at public hospitals

LAHORE: The construction of a new emergency block at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) is nearly complete. The institute is expected to open in March. Rs350 million has been spent on its construction. This was disclosed at a meeting chaired by Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah on Wednesday.

PIC Chief Executive Nadeem Hayat Malik, Additional Health Secretary Ejazul Haq, Additional Secretary (Tech) Salman Shahid and PIC Medical Superintendent Suhail Saqlain were also present.

Malik told the meeting that 3,000 patients had been getting free medicines from the outpatient department of the PIC for a month.

He said a computerised information system had been introduced which would maintain a database of patients’ records. He said a Health Information Management System (HIMS) was being put in place with the help of Punjab Information Technology Board.

Hayat said PIC was specialised hospital where cardiac patients received treatment from all over the country. “The hospital has a heavy workload but due to better administrative measures taken by the management and the teamwork of the doctors and paramedical staff, PIC’s performance has improved significantly.”

Shah said steps would be taken to make the PIC a state-of-the-art institute. He said that cardiology centres in other cities would be activated so as to reduce the burden on the PIC.

Shah appreciated improvement in patient management facilities and cleanliness at the PIC.

He said the Health Department would extend support for strengthening and improving performance of the institute. He said vacant posts for nurses would also be filled. He said the PIC could help other hospitals update their IT systems and train their staff.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed demanded that angiography facilities be made available at all public sector hospitals.  Rasheed visited the Punjab Institute of Cardiology on Wednesday where he interacted with patients and medical staff of the hospital.  He also met PIC Chief Executive Nadeem Hayat and Medical Superintendent Sohail Saqlain. Rasheed urged the government to ensure provision of missing facilities and overcome shortage of trained staff at the PIC.  He said the PIC lacked beds in its emergency ward to cater to the nearly 700 patients visiting daily. “It is necessary for public hospitals to be equipped with angiography facilities,” he added. “The burden on PIC must be shared by other hospitals so that patients requiring intensive care are given proper facilities,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2016.