Mounting patient pressure: New hospital to be built in Rawalpindi

Shelter for homeless gears up to open its doors

RAWALPINDI: To ease the pressure of patients on the three government-run allied hospitals in the garrison city, plans are being reviewed to build a new hospital in Rawalpindi.

This was disclosed by Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Jodat Ayaz on Saturday. He stated this while reviewing arrangements made at a shelter for homeless people in the city.

Ayaz said that currently, the three hospitals were straining under the high patient load and by building another hospital, some of this load will be reduced apart from providing better medical care to the people.

The shelter has been set up in the basement of a parking plaza near Fawara Chowk, Raja Bazaar in Rawalpindi. The shelter has been equipped to accept around 100 families and has separate sections to house the men and the women.

Ayaz toured the shelter and reviewed the facilities available.

Rawalpindi commissioner said that the shelter had been formed to help the poor and destitute who do not have any place to go at night, adding that serving the downtrodden was the ultimate objective of the Punjab government.

Apart from providing the poor shelter, they will also be provided with medical treatment and food.

Polio campaign

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Dr Umar Jehangir administered the polio vaccine to his children at the camp office of the Health Department on Saturday to kick off the latest anti-polio vaccination drive.

“The polio drive should be conducted by considering it a national duty and should demonstrate not only professional responsibility but also a social responsibility to make Pakistan polio-free,” Dr Jahangir said while speaking to health officials and parents gathered at the camp office.

He emphasized paying special attention to vaccinating those children who are living on the outskirts of the city and those who are travelling. Dr Jehangir noted that the participation of parents in the drive was critical, adding that without the cooperation of parents, they will not get the results they desire.

“Everyone should consider this (administrating polio drops) their civic duty and get their own children vaccinated, but also convince those around him that their carelessness could paralyse their children for life,” he said.

Rawalpindi Health Chief Executive Officer Dr Khalid Mehmood briefed Dr Jehangir about the current drive. He said that they aim to vaccinate around 848,250 children in the district who are five-years-old or younger. In this regard, they have appointed 226 polio chief monitoring officers (CMOs) and 547 area in charges.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2018.