ISLAMABAD: While public sector hospitals in the federal capital are facing a severe shortage of beds, especially ventilators for Covid-19 patients, Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions (Pami) on Tuesday offered 1,000 beds, 240 isolation rooms and 80 ventilators to the government.

Moreover, the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL) handed over its hostel in Islamabad to the district administration to establish a quarantine facility for the suspects.

Pami General Secretary Khaqan Waheed Khuwaja told a media briefing along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza that apart from the 1,000 beds, each hospital would provide 30 isolation rooms and 10 ventilators for the Covid-19 patients.

“Treatment, medicine and food will be provided free of cost and the director general National Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Network Dr Raja Amjad Mehmood has been declared coordinator for it,” he said.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Khuwaja said the hospitals which had offered beds and ventilators included Rawal General and Dental Hospital, Dr Akbar Khan Niazi Hospital, HBS Hospital, Wateen Hospital, Margalla Hospital, Nafees Hospital, Islamic International Hospital and Shifa International Hospital.

Each of eight hospitals in capital will also provide 30 isolation rooms, says representative

Dr Mirza appreciated the effort and support of the private sector to combat the virus. He said personal protective equipment (PPE) would be provided by the government to the private hospitals so that the staff would remain protected from the virus.

“We are taking all possible steps and using resources to resist the spread of the disease,” he said.

He said Federal General Hospital at Chak Shahzad had also been designated for the treatment of coronavirus patients.

Meanwhile, OGDCL handed over its hostel located at I-9 to establish a quarantine centre there.

Assistant Commissioner Mahreen Baloch visited the facility and submitted a report to the district administration which approved the facility and declared the building as a quarantine centre.

The company will provide 50 protective gears to the staff. It will also provide food and medicines to the affected patients.

Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Executive Director Dr Ansar Maxood told a news conference that till date 1,200 suspected Covid-19 patients had visited the hospital out of whom 270 were tested for the virus.

“As many as 20 patients were confirmed. Currently, nine patients are in isolation and two in critical condition. We have decided to establish more wards. As it is our first priority to ensure safety of the staff, we have decided to close the outpatient department. However, emergency patients will be received at the emergency department,” he said.

Dr Maxood said surgical masks were available in a sufficient quantity but there was the issue of ventilators.

“National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has provided us two ventilators,” he said.

Earlier, there were only two ventilators for patients and now the number has increased to four.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2020