Operation theatre stays closed a month after fire

An operating theatre at Sheikh Zayed Medical College and Hospital, damaged in a fire a month ago, has yet to be restored, causing difficulties for patients awaiting surgery, particularly those in the gynaecology ward.

The fire broke out on September 5 following an alleged short circuit in one of the hospital's operating theatres. At the time, a patient inside the theatre was safely moved to another location by hospital staff, while doctors, paramedics and security personnel brought the fire under control. No casualties were reported.

However, the affected operating theatre has not been fully restored, according to hospital sources. Its prolonged closure has reduced the hospital's available surgical capacity and increased the workload on the only fully operational theatre.

Sources said patients from emergency, outpatient and various other wards were having to be accommodated according to the limited available surgical facilities. Women awaiting procedures in the gynaecology ward were facing particular difficulties, while concerns had also been raised about delays in emergency and other surgical cases.

The situation has also highlighted delays in the completion of the hospital's multi-billion-rupee Surgical Tower project, which was launched to expand modern surgical facilities.

Nazik Hussain said his wife, Sidra, had been admitted to the labour room for childbirth, where doctors deemed an immediate operation necessary. However, he alleged that despite continuous efforts for two days, an operating theatre could not be made available.

On the third day, when his wife's condition became critical, the operation was finally performed. According to Nazik Hussain, the patient would not have faced such a serious situation if an operating theatre had been available in time.

Muhammad Saleem said that due to the unavailability of an immediate operating facility in the labour room, he was forced to shift his patient to a private hospital, where the operation was performed.

He said the lack of timely operating theatre facilities for emergency cases at the government hospital was causing serious difficulties for patients and their attendants.

According to available project details, the approximately Rs7 billion Surgical Tower comprises a five-storey building with a basement, 448 beds and around 384,000 square feet of covered area.

The project includes modern operating theatres for complex surgeries, intensive care units, recovery rooms, post-operative wards and a central sterile services department, among other medical facilities.

Completion of the Surgical Tower is expected to significantly increase the hospital's surgical capacity and reduce pressure on existing operating theatres.