KARACHI, Oct 19: Another batch of about 20 survivors with multiple injuries from quake-hit areas was shifted to Karachi hospitals on Wednesday night. Arrangements for giving emergency treatment to the patients including five children and 10 women, who landed here on a privately chartered flight around 9.30pm, have been made at three privately managed hospitals.
The latest arrival of patients to Karachi in such a number was first of its kind, though about 23 quake affected injured people including women, who reported on their own in small batches from time to time during the last one week, were already being treated at the JPMC and Civil Hospital Karachi.
The new batch comprised mostly the patients from Northern areas, who were earlier brought to a couple of health centres of Mansehra. The survivors were brought to the city under an arrangement made jointly by the Pakistan Medical Association and the Private Hospitals and Clinics Association (PHCA).
Talking to Dawn from PAF Faisal Base, PHCA general secretary Dr Fasihullah Mir said that private hospitals would not only provide free treatment to the patients but would also ensure their proper rehabilitation.
Referring to the enthusiasm shown by the private sector in shifting and proposed treatment of patients, Fasihullah Mir said that initially his association had planned to accommodate the incoming patients in two hospitals, but there were some additional hospitals which volunteered to treat the patients.
However, he mentioned that his association was very much vigilant on the issue and would hand over patients only to responsible hospitals which had got the facilities to handle such cases. “We intend to bring another batch of about 50 patients from northern areas for which the PAF had already promised to provide C-130 services,” he added, saying that the association needed a meaningful coordination from quarters working in the quake-hit areas.
He appreciated the efforts of Dr Naveed Shah, Dr Tipu Sultan, Dr Ahmadullah Mir and PMA members in this regard.
He said that patients were being admitted to Trauma and Orthopaedic Clinic, Naveed Clinic and Zainab Panjwani Hospital.
In the meantime, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre has also made arrangement for survivors of earthquake and reserved a 40-bed ward for them.
On Wednesday, JPMC Director Dr Mashoor Alam told Dawn that the hospital was intimated through government channel on Tuesday that about 35 earthquake victims, mostly with limb injuries, were due to land Karachi shortly and as such necessary arrangements had been made after vacating a trauma centre of the JPMC.
Around 7.30pm, the government officials had cautioned the JPMC for a red alert and get ready to receive the patients in bulk. However, till 10pm no patient was shifted to the centre.
Meanwhile, seven more survivors, including two children with minor injuries, were brought by their relatives for treatment to the metropolis on Wednesday.
According to JPMC deputy director Dr Seemin Jamali, three more patients were admitted to the hospital. Shahida, 16, with head injury had come from Batagram. Her condition was stable now, she said. Mohammad Azam, 45, with minor injuries from Bagh, and a young boy with eye-lid injury were also admitted in the JPMC.
Another survivor Qayyum, 50, was brought to the Civil Hospital Karachi by his relatives. The patient has been admitted in the orthopaedic ward for treatment of his fractured feet, said a source.
Besides, a young woman Zewar Jan was brought by her relatives and admitted in a hospital run by an NGO. She had gone to Balakot from Karachi to meet her parents and was hit by the quake, which also claimed the lives of her family members.
