Seasonal: Rainwater causes problems at hospitals

“Drains have choked at many hospitals in the city," says Aftab Ashraf, a senior medical officer at PIC

LAHORE: Several operations were postponed at hospitals and functioning of outdoor patients departments (OPDs) was affected due to problems caused by Saturday’s rain.

“Drains have choked at many hospitals in the city. There are puddles around their entrances and exits,” said Aftab Ashraf, a senior medical officer at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). “The operation of ambulances, too, was affected due to rainwater,” he said.

He said design of hospital buildings should provide for such situations. He said at least 150 procedures had been delayed at the PIC.

Children Hospital’s Dr Asad Ahmed said the situation at his hospital, Services Hospital, Mayo Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital had been no different. He said Children Hospital’s emergency department and OPD had remained inundated for hours following the rain in the morning. Mayo Hospital’s Khuda Bux urged the government to revamp drainage system at the hospitals.

Akhlaq Ali Khan, a spokesman for the Health Department, said hospital administrations, doctors and paramedical staff had been on duty despite the downpour. He said he believed that the situation would have been no better in a developed country following an unusual abundant rain. “Our health staff has been working hard… there has been no complaint about a major operation being delayed,” Khan said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2016.