Holy Family's closure burdens BBH

In the wake of the ongoing work on the upgradation and renovation project of the Holy Family Hospital – Rawalpindi’s largest public sector healthcare facility – the transfer of patients to the Benazir Bhutto General Hospital has severely overburdened its treatment system.

Despite the addition of 73 beds, two to three patients have been shifted to one bed each in gynaecology and paediatric wards. Due to the unusual rush in the surgery department, patients have started getting longer dates for surgical procedures.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi set January 31 as the deadline for completing the ongoing work of the HFH renovation and upgrading project, rejecting the contractor’s deadline of February 15.

According to details, at the start of the renovation work on the project worth Rs2 billion from October 21, the HFH was completely closed for patients and the patients were shifted to the BBH, the District Headquarters Hospital, the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology and Transplantation (RIUT) and the Red Crescent Hospital. However, the highest patient load was shifted to the BBH, further straining the already overburdened healthcare system at the hospital.

Read: Revamp forces closure of Holy Family

The hospital’s outpatient and emergency departments are facing a 40 per cent additional patient load, while other departments of the hospital, including surgery, urology, gynaecology, paediatrics and orthopaedics are also facing overcrowding.

The extraordinary rush of patients is creating a plethora of problems in the healthcare system as patients, doctors, nursing staff and the support staff are also going through a difficult situation.

The departments of surgery and orthopaedics have to give three to five-month dates for surgical procedures due to the extraordinary volume of patients.

Talking to The Express Tribune, BBH Medical Superintendent Dr Tahir Rizvi said there was no doubt that the hospital was dealing with more patients than its capacity. “However, we are trying our best to keep the situation under control,” he said.

Dr Tahir Rizvi said due to the arrival of patients from the HFH, 22 beds were added to the gynaecology ward, 31 beds to the surgery ward, 10 beds to the medical ICU and as many beds to the other ICU. “But, the number of patients is such that it is a difficult task to accommodate them in the treatment system,” he said.

On the other hand, HFH Medical Superintendent Dr Ijaz Butt told The Express Tribune that the HFH renovation work had been going on for the last 11 days. “The work is being done at a fast pace. The contractor had assured us to complete the work by February 15. However, the Punjab CM rejected the date given by the contractor and instead set the January 31 deadline for the completion of the ongoing renovation work,” he said.

Dr Ijaz Butt said he was well aware of the difficulties faced by the patients due to the complete closure of the largest healthcare facility in the garrison city but the revamp of the hospital building had become inevitable. “With the completion of the ongoing work, the hospital will provide the best treatment facilities to the patients in a better environment,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said the HFH management was in constant contact with the management of the other four public hospitals in the city. “Immediate availability of doctors, other staff, medicine or elective medical equipment is ensured wherever required,” he added.

It should be noted that the 1100-bed HFH building is facing a plethora of issues including severe dilapidation, leaking of roofs and a decrepit sewage and water supply system.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2023.