Orders action against civil surgeon for absence from duty.
PHOTO: EXPRESS
Dr Afsar has been failing to turn up during working hours; therefore action is being taken against him for his negligence, said the health minister.
While the Polyclinic executive director ordered the presence and punctuality of the hospital staff. The minister directed that the list of out of order ambulances be shared on an immediate basis so that they are replaced with new ambulances. Later on the minister visited the G-7/3 school of nursing. The health minister further stated that the nursing sector is the backbone of the health system and steps are being taken to improve it. The minister also visited the Sector G-7/2 dispensary and enquired after the health of patients and reviewed the facilities available at dispensary.
Govt to spend Rs14b on revamping health infrastructure
World Health Organisation (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Regional Director Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari Dr Ahmed Salim Saif Al-Mandhari currently on a four day visit to Pakistan called on Federal Health Minister Aamer Mehmood Kiani alongwith his delegation.
Dr Mandhari expressed appreciation for the health reforms being introduced by the present government and pledged all out support of WHO in strengthening the health system in Pakistan.
Separately, Dr Al-Mandhari and Unicef South Asia Regional Director Jean Gough, on Tuesday, commended the government of Pakistan for progress in tackling polio and expressed their full confidence in the country’s capacity to eradicate polio.
On a high-level mission to Pakistan, the regional directors of the two leading partners of the Global Polio Eradication Imitative (GPEI) visited the National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), where they were briefed on the country’s progress, remaining challenges and strategies being implemented to interrupt the virus transmission.
The dignitaries also witnessed real-time data management in the EOC Control Room.
Earlier, PM’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Babar Bin Atta the apprised the regional directors of political commitment across parties depicted during the National Task Force meeting chaired by the prime minister last month.
National Coordinator Dr Rana Muhammad Safdar said that current virus epidemiology, immunity status and remaining challenges would be overcome to achieve zero polio in the country.
“Pakistan has made remarkable progress in protecting every child from polio, bringing down the number of children paralyzed by the virus from almost 20,000 each year in the early 1990s to only eight cases so far this year,” said Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari.
We stand ready to provide the necessary support for the country to travel this last and difficult mile,” said Jean Gough.
The two regional directors also stressed that in order to ensure a polio-free future, all partners must continue working closely together under strong government leadership, with no complacency. Once polio was eradicated, it would be crucial to sustain the gains through a strong system of routine immunisation.
More hospitals needed
Polyclinic Hospital Executive Director (ED) Dr Shahid Hanif on Tuesday underlined the need for setting up more hospitals in the federal capital due to the influx of patients at the existing two teaching hospitals, the Federal Government Polyclinic and Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (Pims).
Other than citizens of the capital, the two establishments also see patients who come from adjoining areas of the city including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Talking to the media Polyclinic ED said, the federal government services hospital, commonly known as Polyclinic is one of the oldest hospitals in Islamabad. Presently around 7,000-8,000 visitors come to the hospital on a daily basis but no extra arrangements have been made to meet the growing needs of the patients.
Regarding the massive rush of patients and laboratory facilities, he said the hospital staff was trying its level best to provide healthcare facilities to patients, irrespective of the limited resources held by the hospital. He further said the extension of Polyclinic hospital can vitally contribute and cater to the needs of maximum patients.
New advanced equipment including CT scans and MRI machines used for offering updated test services to the patients could not be set up due to the lack of space in the present building of the hospital and no canteen or cafeteria could be set up to offer hygienic food to the doctors and the patients, he informed.
He asked the relevant authorities to pay heed on the issue of overburden in hospitals and need for further extension of Polyclinic hospital.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2018.
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