In Rawalpindi , BBH gets coronavirus isolation ward
Senate panel demands imposition of an anti-coronavirus national action plan
Rescue 1122 staff put on protective gear to shift suspected coronavirus patients to BBH. PHOTO: IMRAN ASGHAR/EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI:
As the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi was reported on Thursday, the management of the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) in Rawalpindi set up an isolation ward for suspected patients as part of its contingency plan.
Apart from setting up the isolation ward, BBH management has formulated a duty roster for medical staff allocated for the ward. The roster will ensure that senior doctors are in the ward around the clock in three, eight-hour shifts.
In this regard, the BBH Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Rafique Ahmed chaired a meeting on Thursday to review arrangements to tackle the virus at the hospital. The meeting reviewed the status of the isolation ward, the availability of medicines and essential equipment to treat patients under observation.
Medical officials said that thus far, no patient infected with the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) had been brought to the healthcare facility.
Despite that, they said that three senior registrars, house officers, infection controllers, six nurses led by a head nurse and three post-graduate trainee doctors have been deployed in the isolation ward to respond to any situation. They will work in three shifts to offer patients care round the clock.
The officials said that Dr Fazalur Rehman will oversee operations as the isolation ward’s in-charge. Moreover, they said that they have shifted 16 beds to the isolation ward, including five beds from the high-dependency unit (HDU).
Regarding the capacity of the quarantine, officials were told that should there be a need, the ward can be expanded to accommodate 100 beds.
If coronavirus infected patient is brought to the hospital, officials said that doctors and staff have been provided with special protective gear including hazmat suits.
The officials said that the hospital has an adequate quantity of these kits.
False alarm
Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 staff had to don protective gear to shift a couple suspected of having contracted the coronavirus during their recent visit to Iran.
Khabeeb and his wife Kulsoom, residents of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), were rushed to BBH’s isolation ward. However, they tested negative for the disease.
Doctors at BBH, however, said that they could not take any chances and said that even those suspected of contracting the virus will be thoroughly checked.
Face masks become dearer
With no vaccine or treatment available to combat these infections, the public resorted to purchasing face masks in bulk to cover their face.
However, residents of the twin cities experienced an acute shortage of these otherwise cheap and freely available masks.
Health experts have advised wearing masks as a precautionary measure against the spread of the virus.
The mask which was normally available for Rs10 were selling for Rs30 on Thursday. The price of an N-95 mask, deemed to be a shield against contracting the viral infection, had surged by almost 100% and was being sold for Rs300.
Airports alerted
In the aftermath of the cases, a high-alert has been declared at all airports across the country including the Islamabad International Airport (IIA). In this regard, the Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar said that the airport staff had been directed to carry out screening of all passengers arriving in Pakistan thoroughly.
National security hazard
The Senate Standing Committee on Interior held an emergency meeting on Thursday to review the arrangements made to tackle the coronavirus. Senators expressed grave concerns over the confirmation of first cases of the novel coronavirus in Pakistan.
The meeting, held under committee’s chairman Senator Rehman Malik, declared the coronavirus a national security hazard and asked the government to devise an anti-coronavirus national action plan.
The committee discussed in detail the measures taken by the health ministry to control the potential spread of the virus in Pakistan.
The panel directed Islamabad’s Chief Commissioner Amer Ali Ahmed to take all possible measures to control the situation in the federal capital.
“Identification of a novel coronavirus patient has put numerous lives at risk in the capital,” Senator Malik said.
He also expressed his concerns over what he termed were inadequate arrangements taken at entry points of the country, including air and seaports. Malik directed the interior ministry to identify and check the 7,500 pilgrims who have returned from Iran in the past few weeks.
He said these people and their families should be quarantined for 14 days during which the government should bear their food and medicinal expenses. The committee asserted all international standard operating procedures for Isolation must be followed when dealing with such patients and recommended the construction of a dedicated facility to house such patients away from the general population.
Senator Malik also took serious notice of an increase in mask prices and asserted that this trend should be discouraged.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2020.
As the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi was reported on Thursday, the management of the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) in Rawalpindi set up an isolation ward for suspected patients as part of its contingency plan.
Apart from setting up the isolation ward, BBH management has formulated a duty roster for medical staff allocated for the ward. The roster will ensure that senior doctors are in the ward around the clock in three, eight-hour shifts.
In this regard, the BBH Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Rafique Ahmed chaired a meeting on Thursday to review arrangements to tackle the virus at the hospital. The meeting reviewed the status of the isolation ward, the availability of medicines and essential equipment to treat patients under observation.
Medical officials said that thus far, no patient infected with the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) had been brought to the healthcare facility.
Despite that, they said that three senior registrars, house officers, infection controllers, six nurses led by a head nurse and three post-graduate trainee doctors have been deployed in the isolation ward to respond to any situation. They will work in three shifts to offer patients care round the clock.
The officials said that Dr Fazalur Rehman will oversee operations as the isolation ward’s in-charge. Moreover, they said that they have shifted 16 beds to the isolation ward, including five beds from the high-dependency unit (HDU).
Regarding the capacity of the quarantine, officials were told that should there be a need, the ward can be expanded to accommodate 100 beds.
If coronavirus infected patient is brought to the hospital, officials said that doctors and staff have been provided with special protective gear including hazmat suits.
The officials said that the hospital has an adequate quantity of these kits.
False alarm
Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 staff had to don protective gear to shift a couple suspected of having contracted the coronavirus during their recent visit to Iran.
Khabeeb and his wife Kulsoom, residents of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), were rushed to BBH’s isolation ward. However, they tested negative for the disease.
Doctors at BBH, however, said that they could not take any chances and said that even those suspected of contracting the virus will be thoroughly checked.
Face masks become dearer
With no vaccine or treatment available to combat these infections, the public resorted to purchasing face masks in bulk to cover their face.
However, residents of the twin cities experienced an acute shortage of these otherwise cheap and freely available masks.
Health experts have advised wearing masks as a precautionary measure against the spread of the virus.
The mask which was normally available for Rs10 were selling for Rs30 on Thursday. The price of an N-95 mask, deemed to be a shield against contracting the viral infection, had surged by almost 100% and was being sold for Rs300.
Airports alerted
In the aftermath of the cases, a high-alert has been declared at all airports across the country including the Islamabad International Airport (IIA). In this regard, the Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar said that the airport staff had been directed to carry out screening of all passengers arriving in Pakistan thoroughly.
National security hazard
The Senate Standing Committee on Interior held an emergency meeting on Thursday to review the arrangements made to tackle the coronavirus. Senators expressed grave concerns over the confirmation of first cases of the novel coronavirus in Pakistan.
The meeting, held under committee’s chairman Senator Rehman Malik, declared the coronavirus a national security hazard and asked the government to devise an anti-coronavirus national action plan.
The committee discussed in detail the measures taken by the health ministry to control the potential spread of the virus in Pakistan.
The panel directed Islamabad’s Chief Commissioner Amer Ali Ahmed to take all possible measures to control the situation in the federal capital.
“Identification of a novel coronavirus patient has put numerous lives at risk in the capital,” Senator Malik said.
He also expressed his concerns over what he termed were inadequate arrangements taken at entry points of the country, including air and seaports. Malik directed the interior ministry to identify and check the 7,500 pilgrims who have returned from Iran in the past few weeks.
He said these people and their families should be quarantined for 14 days during which the government should bear their food and medicinal expenses. The committee asserted all international standard operating procedures for Isolation must be followed when dealing with such patients and recommended the construction of a dedicated facility to house such patients away from the general population.
Senator Malik also took serious notice of an increase in mask prices and asserted that this trend should be discouraged.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2020.