K-P bolsters hospital capacity amid virus spurt

CM orders provision of amenities to Regi Model Town

PESHAWAR: With the province registering 628 fresh cases of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in the past 24 hours, taking the provincial total to over 16,415 cases, the government has decided to enhance the capacity of hospitals to accommodate these patients apart from boosting the testing capacity.

Briefing the media, Adviser to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister on Information Ajmal Wazir said that the government has set up a 20-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and a 50-bed High Dependency Unit (HDU) at the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) in Peshawar.

Moreover, the Khyber Teaching Hospital has started a 17-bed HDU, while the Hayatabad Medical Complex has been provided with six ventilators.

Further, Wazir said that HDUs have been set up at the Charsadda District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital and the Women and Children Hospital for Covid-19 patients. In this regard, the adviser informed that 10 ICU beds and a 50-bed HDU have been established, with oxygen supply, at the Rajjar Women and Children Hospital in Charsadda. As many as eight beds ICU have been added at the Charsadda DHQ, while a 20-bed HDU has started working at the Qazi Hussain Ahmad Memorial Hospital in Nowshera.

The adviser informed that the capacity of hospitals will be enhanced further to cope with the pandemic, adding that a 25-bed ICU with a 50-bed HDU will be established by July 15 at the LRH, HMC and KTH. At least 10 bed ICU and 40-bed HDU would be added to the Mardan Medical Complex while Qazi Hussain Ahmad Memorial Hospital Nowshera will have 10 bed ICU and 50-bed HDU.

The provincial adviser further said that the Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, Bacha Khan Medical Complex Swabi and Charsadda Women and Children Hospital will have 50-bed HDU respectively.

To facilitate patients in safely connecting with their families while receiving treatment, a video call facility has been provided to attendants at LRH.

Meanwhile, K-P CM Mahmood Khan expressed displeasure over not providing civic amenities to the newly developed Regi Model Township.

Presiding over a meeting to review progress made in the provision of electricity, gas, recreational facilities, and education and healthcare setups, security arrangements to the township, Mahmood directed the relevant departments to devise a plan within 10 days for making progress in the matter.

The meeting was briefed that 70% of payments have been made against the acquired land for the township while they are working to clear the remaining 30% of payments as well.

The chief minister directed provincial police and the Frontier Constabulary to deploy the required number of personnel to improve the security situation in the township.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2020.