RAWALPINDI: Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha has told the administrations of the government-run hospitals that the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) patients hav crowded their hospitals but it should not compromise the treatment facilities.

For this purpose, he allowed the administrations to hire doctors and paramedical staff so that they could have adequate number of staff to cope with the increasing the HFH patients.

He was visiting the District Headquarters Hospital Rawalpindi to review the measures being taken under patient load sharing due to the closure of Holy Family Hospital.

He further said that according to the vision of the Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister, they are striving to provide quality health facilities to the people, for which standards of all hospitals were being upgraded.

District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Ejaz Ahmed, District Health Officer Dr Ehsan Ghani, DHQ Medical Superintendent Dr Farzana and other medical staff were also present on the occasion.

Liaquat Ali Chatha made a detailed visit to the blood bank, laboratory, ICU, dengue ward, OPD, neuro surgery and operation theatre.

He also visited the security room where he monitored the security of the hospital through cameras.

Talking to the patients admitted in the wards and their attendants, the commissioner also inquired about the treatment, medicines and other facilities being provided in the hospital.

On which the patients termed the health facilities satisfactory.

Giving a briefing on this occasion, DHQ Medical Superintend Dr Farzana said that about 3,000 patients visit OPD every day.

There are 20 health departments in the hospital. The hospital consists of 560 beds in which the process of improving the facilities is going on.

The entrance to the hospital and the adjacent shops are being demolished and the old cafeteria and police post are being shifted there.

She said that their aim was to widen and beautify the entrance of the hospital so that ambulances can have better access to the accident and emergency department.

The hospital has computerized topography, ultrasonography, electrocardiography, digital radiography facilities. Medical and surgical red zones have been established to improve the delivery of emergency services to serious patients, besides two trauma rooms (emergency minor operation theatres) have been made operational.

A new sewerage line of 36 inch bore has been laid to deal with this chronic issue of sewerage. Patient registration counters have been constructed after clearing the long existing junk yards.

Surgery, orthopaedic, medicine, neurosurgery OPDs and pathology collection points have been shifted from previous poorly lit, narrow corridors (6 feet wide) to ventilated open space.

Sterile supply unit in modular operation theatre has been installed to ensure efficient sterilization of equipment and clothing.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2023