Inquiry followup: Maternal, child health centre at Pims to remain closed

The hospital administration will spray antiseptics and sterilise the equipment.


Sehrish Wasif June 10, 2011

ISLAMABAD:


The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) centre of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) will remain closed for all types of surgeries and deliveries from Thursday midnight to Sunday, The Express Tribune has learnt.


The hospital administration will conduct antiseptic sprays in the centre to eliminate all sorts of infectious germs and all the equipments will be sterilised, an official said.

He added that the recommendation to conduct this exercise was made in the inquiry report submitted by the committee, which
was constituted to investigate the two deaths in the
centre.

Apart from the fatalities, several other patients also got severely ill which was allegedly termed as negligence of staff at MCHc.

From Thursday midnight, the labour room and operation theatre (OT) of MCH will be closed and patients will be referred to other hospitals which include Polyclinic Hospital, Capital Development Authority (CDA) Hospital and public hospitals of Rawalpindi.

The investigation of the two deaths and others who faced complications revealed that such cases were surfacing due to an infection after a medical procedure. However, the cause behind the infection is still unknown.

For instance, they could have been infected while they were being transferred from one room to another. It is also possible that they could have been carrying the infection before being admitted.

Therefore to protect new patients this initiative has been taken.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a senior doctor on the condition of anonymity said the MCH of Pims is overloaded with patients which are cannot be attended accordingly due to weak infrastructure. There is a shortage of staff and beds too, he said.

“In MCH one bed is being shared by two or at times three patients, which is not at all favourable for the pregnant women, they are prone to catch any sort of infection, which could be too dangerous for them,” said the doctor.

The doctor further said that due to the negligence of staff and the load of work they receive, weekly cleaning of the operation theatre cannot be carried out regularly.

Meanwhile talking to The Express Tribune, husband of Nousheen Bhatti who is admitted in the medical ward-II of Pims said that the administration of the hospital did not cooperate with them in any way.

“Everyday I purchase medicines from outside which are too expensive and I have to buy it from my pocket, it has become difficult for me now,” said Bhatti. His wife is one of the patients who suffered complications while being treated at the MCH.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2011.

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