ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has decided to reopen its outpatient departments (OPDs) from August 17.

Under the decision, 50 percent wards dedicated for the Covid-19 patients will be handed over to different departments. After the reopening of OPDs, around 10,000 patients will again start visiting the hospital daily.

Last week, the management of the hospital made the biometric attendance, which was suspended in March due to the Covid-19 outbreak, mandatory so that as soon as the OPDs are made functional the employees could attend their duties regularly.

Pims Joint Executive Director Dr Minhajus Siraj confirmed to Dawn that the OPDs were being reopened from Aug 17.

“As many as four OPDs - Burn Centre, Mother and Child Hospital, Children Hospital and Cardiac Centre - will be made operational from 17th August. However, as renovation work is underway in the main hospital, which is called Islamabad Hospital, its patients will be seen at the filter clinic,” he said.

Replying to a question, Dr Minhaj said currently three private wards and six medical and surgical wards were dedicated for the Covid-19 patients.

“Private wards will remain dedicated for the Covid-19 patients. Out of six medical and surgical wards, three will be handed over to different departments. Surgical II, IV and Medical VI wards will be returned to the departments,” he said.

“However, Medical II, IV and V will remain dedicated for the Covid-19 patients,” Dr Siraj said.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2020