ISLAMABAD, May 8 (APP): The Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) has directed all private and public hospitals across the Capital Territory to ensure comprehensive emergency preparedness to deal with any potential crisis.
According to the notification issued by Dr. Syed Ahmed Raza Kazmi, Chief Executive Officer of IHRA, hospitals must take immediate measures to strengthen their emergency response systems and medical readiness.
Hospitals have been instructed to implement these measures immediately and confirm readiness before Friday.
In view of the prevailing security situation, the authority has issued an urgent directive through this notification placing all public and private hospitals on Emergency Health Alert.
The directive emphasizes that 30% of each hospital’s total bed capacity must be reserved for emergency and war-related cases, with free treatment for all patients during such scenarios.
Hospitals have also been directed to activate their emergency response protocols, ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines, blood products, and maintain fully functional operation theaters.
As per directions, round-the-clock presence of medical, nursing, paramedical, and senior administrative staff is mandatory to manage any sudden influx of patients.
Additional key measures outlined in the directive including adequate stocks of medicines, fluids, vaccines, surgical disposables, medical devices, and medical gases.
All hospitals have been directed to ensure functionality of all biomedical equipment, including ventilators, cardiac monitors, defibrillators, suction machines, X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI machines.
The instructions were issued regarding availability of blood bags of all blood groups and anti-sera, along with an updated donor list besides deployment of security personnel and activation of emergency security protocols and standby power supply through functional generators and uninterrupted water supply.
Hospitals have been asked to make coordination with Rescue 1122, district health authorities, and local NGOs for patient shifting and referrals.
The IHRA also directed to ensuring full communication capabilities within hospitals, including functional telephone exchanges and mobile connectivity.
The IHRA has stressed that all hospitals must ensure quick and easy access to emergency departments and maintain constant liaison with emergency services and local authorities.
“This is a matter of national preparedness,” said Dr. Kazmi in the official statement. “Hospitals must be ready to respond to any unforeseen emergency, and full compliance is required without delay.”