Over 3,000 check in at PIMS during Eid

Doctors, paramedics continue working at allied hospitals on holidays

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: More than 3,000 people reported at the emergency ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) of which 70 per cent had complaints of indigestion and blood sugar levels shooting up due to overeating on the festive occasion of Eid.

At least 3,968 patients were brought in at emergency ward, said PIMS Spokesman Dr Waseem Khawaja. Around 1,500 patients were brought to children OPD and another 250 at children emergency with trauma cases involving injuries due to falling down.

Over 400 people were brought to PIMS trauma centre after falling from motorbikes while doing one-wheeling and other stunts. Another 400 checked in at cardiac department with various problems.

Most of the patients were released after first aid, whereas some operations were also conducted in emergency in spite of holidays.

He said that during the three days of Eid holidays, 70 people were brought to the burns centre at PIMS. Moreover, 145 cases reported at the gynaecology department. Among these, 80 had deliveries.

The blood bank of PIMS provided transfusion to 371 patients. More than 400 patients were provided CT scan facility, 200 got XRay, and over 350 acquired ultrasound facility at the hospital, Dr Khawaja said.

Meanwhile, an unannounced emergency stayed at the three allied hospitals in Rawalpindi. Doctors, nurses, paramedics and support staff continued working in shifts during three holidays of Eidul Fitr.

Emergency, surgery, and dialysis facilities continued working without any gap through the holidays. Benazir Bhutto General Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Rafiq Ahmed did rounds of the hospital on the first and the second day of Eid.

Dr Rafiq told The Express Tribune that more than 3,000 patients came at allied hospitals with different complaints during the three days of Eid.

Most of the cases were of indigestion and gastric problems. Whereas some cases of trauma and emergency surgery were also handled at the three government hospitals of Rawalpindi, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2019.