Hospitals put on alert in twin cities

Special arrangements made for emergency situation.

ISLAMABAD: Government hospitals of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been put on high alert to deal with any mishap during Muharram.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Anis Kausar, joint executive director Polyclinic Hospital, said special arrangements have been made in all departments of the hospital and additional staff deployed especially in the emergency ward.

All sorts of medicines and surgical equipments have been provided in all departments.

Dr Kausar said, “We have stocked the blood banks. All the staff including surgeons, paramedic staff will be on call.”

Similarly, Dr Bashir Malik, additional medical superintendent Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), Rawalpindi, said that the administration had made special arrangements for Muharram.

Dr Raja Sarwar, spokesperson Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, said, “Additional beds and medicines have been stored in all units.”

The leaves of the medical staffs including senior doctors and surgeons have been cancelled.

Prof Dr Anwarul Haque, head of pathology department of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), urged for a need of voluntary blood donations during such occasion.

“There is lack of awareness among public about voluntary blood donations which should be done during all occasions, whether it is Eid or Muharram,” he said.

He said Pims being the largest hospital in the capital at times faces shortage of blood during emergency situation. “It’s not because we do not make arrangements. It’s because we get a large number of patients.”

The blood bank stores blood of those donors who donate for their relatives but are not able to utilise it.

He said one of the major problems that the blood bank of Pims face during an emergency situation is shortage of beds for blood donors, especially females.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2010.