KARACHI: OT complex at CHK to be functional in August
KARACHI, May 3: The state-of-the-art, integrated and modern operation theatre complex for elective surgeries at the Civil Hospital Karachi will be made functional in August with an approximate cost of Rs75 million. The complex, which is gifted by Dowites 78 (a student batch of Dow Medical College) to the CHK, will have room for 14 operation theatres, changing rooms for doctors, staff and nurses, receptions, inquiry offices, scrub areas, janitorial staff rooms, drug stores, recovery hall with full ICU and monitor facility, and central sterilized supply departments on second floor of the building. An auditorium for 250 people, waiting area of over 100 attendants and a canteen is being constructed on third floor.
Coordinator Dowites 78, Dr Shafiqur Rehman, said that the construction work had almost been completed and the finishing work for installation of equipment was being done in theatres.
He said that each operation theatre would have separate doors for entrance and exit, while oxygen and suction systems were also central, supported by monitors and other necessary modalities. “For data collection, one computer has been attached with camera to each operation theatre that will be interconnected with central computer,” he added.
“A surgeon will also be able to see the procedure directly from OT to his room and could guide by two-way communication, if necessary. OT computer will also have link with auditorium computer. This is part of our future plan to install a satellite system, which will help to seek expert opinion from seniors, if they are not available at the CHK so that they could give guidance from any place,” he maintained.
Dr Shafiq further stated that after sterilization in central sterilized supply departments, instruments would be packed and labelled again and would be supplied to OTs according to international standards.
“Design of all operation theatres is same. We are installing HVAC air handling system in all operation theatres, which will change air for six times an hour and throw away bacteria and other infections from inside the theatre, saving healthcare staff and patient from second infection. This system will reduce the abuse of antibiotics and infection rate in theatre,” he added.
He said that three elevators were proposed in the project, two in front of building for routine patients and staff and one on its right block, dedicated for ICU patients only. “Construction work on two lifts in front of the building have been suspended temporarily, as there were some administrative hurdles, but I hope, problems will be solved and construction will start very soon,” he added.
“After its completion, surgeries of general, gynae obs, vascular, paediatrics, plastic and ENT will be shifted to this complex and the number of patients will remarkably increase, as we do not have operation theatres of international standards in terms of sterilization at the moment. In government hospitals, patients are not provided with proper care even in operation theatres that increases rate of infection. At present, attendants are asked to bring all medicines and disposable items from medical store before operation, but we will introduce central drug store and attendants will not be asked for any medicine,” he remarked.
Dr Shafiq said apart from the shortage of capacity, facilities at the surgical wards were seriously deficient and operation theatres did not fulfil the required aseptic standards. “Sterilization facilities are primitive. As a result, the post-operative infection rate and post-operative mortality rate are extremely high. Owing to the situation, the CHK urgently needed a modern surgical complex to enable more operations to be carried out as per demand,” he noted.
At present, he said, the will to work was really lacking among hospital staff. “We have suggested incentives for staff, who will work in operation theatre complex. We need over 120 staff including doctors and other healthcare providers. Two third of this number is already available, while remaining will be hired by our group,” he added.
Dr Shafiq further said that they had spent Rs50 million till to date on the project. “Association of Pakistani doctors in the USA, the APPNA and doctors from England and Ireland beside local donors have helped us generously. However, he regretted that the governor had announced donation of Rs2.7 million for this project at the ground-breaking ceremony, but the amount had not been received yet. — PPI
