Daily Times

LAHORE: All government hospitals and other medical institutions will remain on high alert during Eid holidays to cope with any medical emergency in the provincial capital.

The administrations of the city’s government hospitals have also cancelled Eid holidays of emergency doctors, nurses, technical staff, sanitary staff and other staff members.

The administrations of all public hospitals, while talking to Daily Times, assured that they had taken all necessary measure to cope with any emergency – without any delay – during Eid days. They also confirmed that all necessary equipments and other arrangements were in order to handle any medical emergency.

They added that all emergency staff members, including senior doctors, young doctors and paramedics, would be on high alert on Eid days.

Health experts appealed to patients of hepatitis C (chronic liver disease) to avoid red meat as they’ll end up with hepatic encephalopathy. Patients of hypertension and ischaemic heart disease should take less meat, they said, adding that patients of APD (stomach ulcer) should avoid spices and fried meat otherwise they could get pain in the epigastrium. Those who’ll eat more meat can also end up having gastroenteritis/ diarrhoea, they said.

They said that those who’ll ear meat in a hurry might get a bone stuck in esophagus, adding that last year there were many such cases. The doctors said that they would remain on duty on Eid for the people, but the public should try to take precautions. Most of the private clinics will remain closed on Eid, so there will be a great burden on government hospitals, said a doctor.

According to Health Department sources, surgeons, specialists, technicians, nursing staff and other health personnel would also be on call and they would not be allowed to leave the station without permission.

The administrations of all city hospitals further added that security at their respective facilities had also been beefed up – inside as well as around the facility, especially the main entrance. They said that walkthrough gates had been installed outside the emergency wards where security guards would frisk all those coming inside.

The Health Department has also issued instructions to ensure presence of doctors and medical staff at all public hospitals as well as autonomous and specialised medical institutions throughout the province.

The health minister has directed the King Edward Medical University pro-vice chancellor, Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex Lahore chairman, principals of all autonomous medical institutions, Health DG, medical superintendents of all teaching, DHQ and THQ hospitals as well as Health EDOs to ensure presence of senior administrative doctors along with medical staff, at their respective medical institutions during Eidul Azha holidays. They were also director to make emergency crisis management plans.

He further directed them to reserve beds, ensure availability of sufficient stock of lifesaving drugs and keep medical instruments, patients’ lifts in perfect working order. He also ordered that standby generators as alternative source of electricity as well as fully functional operation theaters should also be ensured.

Moreover, fully equipped ambulances with trained staff should also be made available, while keeping stock of blood and blood donors’ list of all groups in the blood bank of every hospital to meet any untoward situation, he said.

All heads of the institutions have been directed to ensure that these instructions are complied with in letter and spirit, as any lapse in this regard will be dealt with strictly.

Published in Daily Times, September 1^st 2017.