RAWALPINDI: The Coronavirus Patient Management Centre at the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) is facing shortage of oxygen as 120 patients are currently on oxygen there.

Moreover, the provincial government has slashed funds for the Coronavirus Patient Management Centre. Officials said over 200 patients were currently on oxygen in government hospitals in Rawalpindui.

Attendants of patients expressed concerns over the arrangements made by the Punjab government in the hospitals to cope with the rising number of cases.

“The RIU management was asked to spend less money on medicines and other necessary items as there was shortage of funds,” a senior official of Rawalpindi Medical University told Dawn. He said the government withdrew funds but later released them after making deductions.“The hospital is close to running out of oxygen and the new supply is yet to arrive.” He said RMU Vice Chancellor Dr Mohammad Umer and Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Haq visited the centre to inspect the available stock on Friday.

He said testing of patients at Benazir Bhutto Hospital and Holy Family Hospital was slow and most of the suspected patients were kept in these hospitals and not shifted to RIU for further care.

When contacted, RIU Medical Superintendent Dr Khalid Randhawa confirmed to Dawn that there was a shortage of oxygen but “We never refuse admitting any patient. We are managing things despite shortage of oxygen.”

However, he said the government was striving to provide oxygen and the hospital was managing the available stock. He said the health department had promised to provide oxygen as the demand was increasing.

About shortage of funds for the hospital, Dr Randhawa said the government had asked to rationalise the spending in the hospital and “We send a revised budget which was released.” However, he said funds were available with the management.

On the other hand, the number of patients with breathing problems is increasing in the city. According to official data, the number of critical patients arriving in the hospitals increased after the end of Ramazan.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2020