PIMS OPDs to remain non-functional: ED

ISLAMABAD, Mar 24 (APP):The administration of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Tuesday decided to close its all out-patient departments (OPDs) with immediate effect.

Addressing a press conference, PIMS Executive Director Dr Ansar Maxood said the decision of closure was made on the direction of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza.

He said serious patients would be examined at the Emergency Department, and all required facilities had been provided at the hospital emergency for incoming patients. Keeping in view the coronavirus situation it was necessary to take such decision.

The PIMS ED said so far 1,200 suspected patients visited the hospital with symptoms similar to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The hospital administration had already allocated 10 beds for confirmed corona patients while a 29-bed new ward was also being set up.

He said in the coming 15 days, more beds and wards would be added to ensure better treatment of corona patients. Efforts were being made to provide adequate facilities.

He said so far samples of 270 patients had been collected and two confirmed corona patients were in critical condition. The top most priority was to provide foolproof protection to the healthcare staff, he added.

He said sufficient quantity of surgical mask was available for doctors while personal protection kits and other necessary items had been provided for those working in the isolation room.

He said the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had provided two ventilators to the hospital.

Earlier, in consultation with the Ministry of National Health Services, the hospital administration decided to convert its Medical Ward-II and all three floors of private wards into isolation wards. The School of Dentistry would also be turned into an isolation ward, where 30 beds would be placed.

A committee has also been formed to analyse the demand for equipment and medicine, the deployment of human resource and the extension of isolation wards. The hospital has appointed Deputy Executive Director Dr Farhana Zareef as the focal person for Covid-19.