Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology extension project planned

RAWALPINDI: In a bid to overcome severe shortage of beds in Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC), Punjab government has approved the extension project for the hospital.

Under the project worth Rs7.5 billion, a new seven-storey building equipped with 470 beds will be built in the huge parking space of the existing building.

Meanwhile, the provincial government has directed the related authorities to prepare a revised project concept (PC) 1 and it has decided to recruit medical and Para-medical staff to overcome shortage faced by the people.

With the addition of the beds, the number total available beds in the hospital would escalate to as many as 742 from just 272.

RIC is only equipped with total of 24 recovery beds. Of these 12 each are for two recovery phases, where patients were shifted immediately after their surgeries. However, this number is expected to rise by three percent after completion of project.

The waiting area on the first floor of existing building has been shrunk to accommodate some beds however they are still proving to be inadequate to cater needs of hundreds of patients visiting RIC every day.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2019.