ISLAMABAD: On the direction of Prime Minister’s Hospitals Development Project (PMHDP), the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) has directed 25 private hospitals in the capital to provide three-year data on how many patients were treated in 28 different departments.

IHRA Chairman Dr Riaz Shahbaz Janjua told Dawn that the government had acquired land from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the establishment of a 1,000-bed-hospital in H-16 sector.

“I was directed by Secretary Health [Nadeem Mehbub] to instruct the hospitals to submit the data. Although I am not aware of the actual position/situation, I guess the data is collected before construction of a large hospital so that the departments could be established as per the requirements of the area,” he said.

Replying to a question, Dr Janjua said such an exercise decreased expenses and saved wastage of funds.

“If a disease does not prevail in an area there is no need to spend tens of millions of rupees on purchasing a machine, recruiting staff and establishing a department for its treatment. Funds can be spent on the treatment of a disease which is more common in an area,” he said.

According to documents available with Dawn, the prime minister has outlined a vision to enhance healthcare and hospital facilities in Islamabad. As part of this initiative, PMHDP has been collecting data to assess the needs of healthcare institutions.

Hospitals, including Shifa International, PAF, PAEC, Riphah, Al Nafees, Farooq Hospital, Reliance Hospital, Shaafi International, Al Noor, Kulsoom International, Rawal Hospital, Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital, Watim, Maroof International Hospital, Ali Medical Centre, Advanced International, Quaid-i-Azam International, Life Care International, Medicsi, Max Health, Abid Hospital, Zobia Hospital, Ideal International, Khatoon Hospital and Gulf Care have been directed to provide their data of the last three years.

They have also been directed to provide yearly data on how many patients were treated in outpatient departments, total patients admitted including number of emergency room visits, lCU admissions, NICU admissions, major surgeries, general surgeries, orthopaedic surgeries, ophthalmology surgeries, etc.

The hospitals have been directed to provide details of ultrasounds, X-Rays, mammograms, MRIs, interventional radiology procedures, PET scans, gamma camera scans, gamma knife procedures, cyber knife procedures, echo performed, angiographies, angioplasties, number of patients registered for laboratory testing and dialysis sessions.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2024