Hospital officials to remain on Ashura duty
The Punjab government has instructed all teaching hospitals in the province to remain alert on Ashura to serve the mourners.
The departments concerned have also cancelled the holidays of the medical, paramedical and nursing staffers and advised the hospitals to keep their operations theatres and emergency departments open in all district hospitals.
Instructions were issued to all government hospitals to make the best arrangements in the blood banks and keep the ambulance services ready. All medical superintendents and senior professors will remain in their wards and departments and the hospital administrators had been directed to issue the duty chart for the public holidays.
The government has advised the caretaker ministers for specialised and primary and secondary healthcare to monitor the arrangements in the hospitals.
A doctor said a large number of patients are taken to the emergency wards and operation theatres on the occasion in almost all districts.
The government has set up a helpline, 1033, and instructed the medical superintendents to remain available in the hospitals round the clock during the holidays.
He said additional beds, medicines, vaccines and blood bags would be available in the hospitals.
"Our ambulance services and with trained staff are ready for the duties, while senior professor will also be available in the hospitals. All hospitals have been advised that there should be ample quantities of blood and life saving drugs," he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 28th, 2023.