Surprise visit: HFH’s isolation ward to be used for women, children

PM Khan noted with concern that as many four children were accommodated on single bed

RAWALPINDI: After multiple children were found to be accommodated on a single bed owing to lack of space in a large hospital of the garrison city, the federal health minister on Tuesday directed to convert its isolation ward into a mother and child ward.

The directions came after the medical superintendent (MS) and the night deputy medical superintendent (night DMS) of the hospital had been transferred hours after the prime minister’s visit.



Prime Minister Imran Khan had undertaken a surprise visit of two hospitals and a shelter in Rawalpindi late on Monday night, including the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) and the Holy Family Hospital (HFH). During his visit to HFH, PM Imran had noted with concern that as many as four children had been accommodated on a single bed.

Federal Health Minister Aamir Kiani, who had been directed by the premier to present a detailed report on the hospital, conducted a detailed visit of the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) of his own on Tuesday. The new MS of the hospital, Dr Nasir Mahmood, accompanied him during the visit.



During the visit, Kiani was informed about the hospital’s capacity and the number of patients it receives. He was further told that they had an isolation ward where dengue patients are kept.

However, with the dengue season not expected to start until later in the year, it could be converted into a ward for women and children which would end resolve the overcrowding in the wards.

The minister directed to increase the number of beds and treatment facilities at the hospital for women and children and to convert the isolation ward into a women and children’s ward.

The minister also promised to provide additional resources to the hospital from the federal government.

Kiani further directed the hospital’s MS to send recommendations regarding the resources required of the federal government.

Later, while speaking with Daily Express, Kiani said that they are working on enhancing the facilities offered at all the three allied hospitals of the garrison city along with facilities at the Cantonment General Hospital.

Moreover, he said that there was a programme in place to make dispensaries operational which would eventually ease the pressure on hospitals.



HFH’s MS, DMS transferred

Earlier in the day, a notification was released which stated that the Punjab government had replaced HFH’s MS Dr Shahzad Ahmed and night DMS Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan following the prime minister’s surprise visit. In their stead, Dr Mahmood of the Institute of Urology at HFH was handed the additional charge of hospital MS.

Later, the administration of both, HFH and DHQ sent reports to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat about the medical facilities available at the facilities. They requested an increase in available resources for the hospitals.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2019.