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LAHORE, Aug 28 (APP):The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has issued a health emergency alert for all private hospitals across the province in view of the ongoing flood crisis, directing them to allocate 35 per cent of their bed capacity for flood-affected patients and provide free treatment.
According to a circular issued on Thursday, the Commission instructed hospitals to ensure uninterrupted medical services, keep emergency departments, ICUs, and high-dependency units functional round the clock, and maintain the continuous availability of medicines, blood products, vaccines, IV fluids, surgical disposables, medical devices, and gases.
The directive further emphasized that hospitals must strictly follow triage protocols to prioritize patients, keep operation theaters fully functional, and ensure biomedical machines remain operational. Medical, nursing, paramedical, and administrative staff have been ordered to stay on duty at all times to handle the expected influx of patients.
Hospitals have also been advised to safeguard medical supplies and records by shifting them to elevated areas, maintain backup power sources, and install flood barriers and water pumps at critical points. Special monitoring has been recommended to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
The PHC further directed hospitals to prepare evacuation plans for immediate transfer of patients in case of structural risks, ensuring coordination with nearby safe hospitals or temporary medical centers.
The Commission has warned that non-compliance with these directives will result in strict disciplinary action.