Dysfunctional coolers in PIMS leave patients fuming
People say ICU, operation theatre of Maternal and Child Healthcare without cooling system
Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Patients on Friday demanded the authorities concerned to take notice of out-of-order central air conditioner system at Maternal and Child Healthcare Centre (MCH) of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and make arrangements for its early restoration.
According to them, even the cooling system was not functional at MCH's emergency, operation theatres and intensive care units (ICUs) that multiplied the sufferings of patients and becoming a cause of disruption for both patients and hospital staff.
Aftab Aleem, an attendant at MCH said that many necessary operations and procedures were being delayed due to unavailability of required temperature.
Doctors said that specific room temperatures were extremely important for some procedures and control of serious infections as it may increase in extremely hot atmosphere, he added. Another attendant, Saleem Mumtaz said that my wife was admitted in MCH ward for the last several days as that the procedure was delayed due to problem with the cooling system.
"Fans and air conditioners had been out-of-order since long in MCH's emergency, general wards and private wards, making it difficult for us to further wait here. We had no other option but to leave the hospital," he added.
Saira Bano, a patient at MCH said that even serious patients were at the mercy of ceiling fans, which were installed by the doctors from their own pockets.
"I visited PIMS MCH from a remote area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but I am disappointed over the situation because despite submitting several complaints with the hospital administration, not a single step was taken to repair the cooling system," she said.
Naeem Khan, another attendant said that there was no cooling system even at MCH's recovery room where patients are shifted to after surgeries. Due to this situation many patients heal slowly, he added.
He said that medical and paramedical staff including nurses at the MCH have also been facing similar issue as there was no proper seating for them nor was there a water-cooler or other services in case of long and odd duties. However the administration staff was enjoying all such facilities there, he complained.
As per documents, the number of normal deliveries at the MCH increased from 3,000 per year in 1999 to 10,000 per year in 2016. The number of antenatal patients increased from 3,000 in 2000 to almost 100,000 in 2016. This increase in workload adversely affected the patient care besides putting immense pressure on staff and quality of care.
While the number of patients and emergencies kept on increasing, there was no provision in terms of space and human resource to cater to the additional patients and required facilities for them.
When contacted, Pims Media Coordinator Dr Waseem Khawaja said though the population of the capital had doubled during the last three decades, not a single new hospital was built after Pims. The completion of a Rs4.5 billion extension to MCH and the children’s hospital whill help patients get better services.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 10th, 2019.
Patients on Friday demanded the authorities concerned to take notice of out-of-order central air conditioner system at Maternal and Child Healthcare Centre (MCH) of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and make arrangements for its early restoration.
According to them, even the cooling system was not functional at MCH's emergency, operation theatres and intensive care units (ICUs) that multiplied the sufferings of patients and becoming a cause of disruption for both patients and hospital staff.
Aftab Aleem, an attendant at MCH said that many necessary operations and procedures were being delayed due to unavailability of required temperature.
Doctors said that specific room temperatures were extremely important for some procedures and control of serious infections as it may increase in extremely hot atmosphere, he added. Another attendant, Saleem Mumtaz said that my wife was admitted in MCH ward for the last several days as that the procedure was delayed due to problem with the cooling system.
"Fans and air conditioners had been out-of-order since long in MCH's emergency, general wards and private wards, making it difficult for us to further wait here. We had no other option but to leave the hospital," he added.
Saira Bano, a patient at MCH said that even serious patients were at the mercy of ceiling fans, which were installed by the doctors from their own pockets.
"I visited PIMS MCH from a remote area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but I am disappointed over the situation because despite submitting several complaints with the hospital administration, not a single step was taken to repair the cooling system," she said.
Naeem Khan, another attendant said that there was no cooling system even at MCH's recovery room where patients are shifted to after surgeries. Due to this situation many patients heal slowly, he added.
He said that medical and paramedical staff including nurses at the MCH have also been facing similar issue as there was no proper seating for them nor was there a water-cooler or other services in case of long and odd duties. However the administration staff was enjoying all such facilities there, he complained.
As per documents, the number of normal deliveries at the MCH increased from 3,000 per year in 1999 to 10,000 per year in 2016. The number of antenatal patients increased from 3,000 in 2000 to almost 100,000 in 2016. This increase in workload adversely affected the patient care besides putting immense pressure on staff and quality of care.
While the number of patients and emergencies kept on increasing, there was no provision in terms of space and human resource to cater to the additional patients and required facilities for them.
When contacted, Pims Media Coordinator Dr Waseem Khawaja said though the population of the capital had doubled during the last three decades, not a single new hospital was built after Pims. The completion of a Rs4.5 billion extension to MCH and the children’s hospital whill help patients get better services.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 10th, 2019.