VIP visits become a bane for burn victims

Staff at burns unit says these trips make it difficult for them to perform their duties

LAHORE: As 18 patients of Ahmedpur East incident are still under treatment at Jinnah Hospital, the frequent visits of a large number of people including political figures irks medics and paramedical staff, who are busy in saving the lives of these people, The Express Tribune has learnt on Friday.

“These people have received 60% to 70% burn injuries. The VIP visits are a cause of disturbance for us while we are busy treating them,” commented, a senior professor at Jinnah Hospital, on the condition of anonymity.

“This practice must end. It is a serious matter. We are already short of staff and these VIP visits make it difficult for us to perform our duty,” he remarked.

He said currently 18 patients were under treatment, out of which 11 were transported to Lahore from Bahawalpur in precarious condition and the medical staff would not be able to treat them properly if these VIP visits persist.



According to a press release issued by the health department, arrangements were being made for the dispatch of skin allografts from the USA to Jinnah Burn Centre donated for the burn victims.

Experts of Jinnah Burn Centre will play their key role in using successfully skin allografts and have evolved a strategy for their guidance with the cooperation of medical staff of Multan Burn Centre and Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur in this regard.

Jinnah Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Sohail Saqlain said skin plantation operations of three patients have been completed while a patient Yousuf, 8, has been discharged after recovery.

“A team comprising clinical psychologists of Jinnah Burn Centre and Social Welfare Department is engaged in mental and psychological support of the patients and their attendants,” he added.



He further said hospital administration, Patients Welfare Organisation and other social institutions were engaged in their welfare with the cooperation of district administration of Lahore.

Around 168 people were burnt alive and over 200 seriously injured after an overturned oil tanker injured in the oil tanker fire incident last Sunday morning. Most of the victims were trying to collect fuel leaking from the vehicle.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2017.