RAWALPINDI: The administrations of the three government hospitals in the garrison city locked horns over taking the burden of the increasing dengue patients.

As many as 49 more dengue patients were reported from the city with a majority of them landing at the Holy Family Hospital (HFH). The new cases took the city’s overall dengue tally to 510.

About 73 dengue patients were admitted to the HFH while the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and the District Headquarters Hospital admitted 43 and 24 cases, respectively.

The daily arrival of new cases at the HFH forced its administration and doctors to ask the two other hospitals to share the burden with it.

Most of the patients arrived at the HFH from Dhoke Ratta, Mohanpura, Gowalmandi and other parts of the city located near the DHQ hospital and the BBH.    

DHQ hospital, BBH asked to share burden of patients with HFH

At a meeting presided over by Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) Principal Prof Dr Mohammad Umer, the medical superintendents agreed to share the burden of the HFM.

The doctors of the HFH complained that the BBH and the DHQ hospital was referring all the dengue patients to the HFH. They said the heavy influx of the patients affected the medical care being provided to the patents at the HFH.

They said the BBH and DHQ hospital refused to admit hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome patients and referred them to the HFH.

After listening to the complaints, the RMC principal asked the BBH and the DHQ hospital to bear the burden of the patients.

He asked the HFH to send the stable dengue patients to the BBH and the DHQ hospital. However, he added that the dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome patients should be treated in the hospital where they arrived.

When contacted, BBH Medical Superintendent Dr Asif Qadir Mir admitted that the directions had been received from the RMC principal to share the burden with the HFH.

HFH Medical Superintendent Dr Tariq Niazi also confirmed the report and said the hospital shifted 10 stable dengue patients to the other hospitals.

Published in Dawn, October 21st , 2014