Minister wants work on RIUKT expedited

Dr Yasmin Rashid visits different health facilities in Pindi, Chakwal

RAWALPINDI:

The provincial health minister has directed to expedite work on the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology and Kidney Transplant (RIUKT).

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid during her visit to RIUKT on Saturday further directed to make the health facility operational within one and a half months.

The minister said that the provincial government wanted to make the hospital operational as soon as possible so people could get benefit from health facility.

She also visited the coronavirus wards and inquired about the health of the patients.

The RIUKT Vice-Chancellor Professor Muhammad Umer briefed the minister about the services provided to Covid-19 patients.

The dialysis services will be available for all patients while patients would be provided latest medical and surgical facilities for urology and kidney diseases.

The minister appreciated the departments which contributed to the development of the RIU. She said quality healthcare services are being provided at the institute.

She further said that provision of basic facilities to public was top priority of the government.

Meanwhile, Dr Rashid also visited Chakwal district headquarters hospital (DHQ), the Mother and Child Hospital, Nursery and Midwifery School.

She also visited different units of Chakwal DHQ and inspected the services being provided to patients. The Chakwal DHQ medical superintendent briefed the minister about the services being provided at the hospital.

RIUKT is currently working as a dedicated hospital for coronavirus patients. At the height of the pandemic, there were 300 patients under treatment at the facility, whereas presently there were only 13 left in the quarantine ward. In the first phase, 30 dialysis machines will start working at the hospital and in the second phase OPD, emergency ward and operation theatres will become functional.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2020.