ISLAMABAD: About 24 hours after the visit of Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel, 15 air conditioners were installed in two emergency wards of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).

The hospital’s executive director (ED), Dr Rana Imran Sikander, in a video statement, said he ensured that the air conditioners were installed at the earliest.

The ED’s spokesperson, Dr Mushtaq Daha told Dawn that nine air conditioners were installed in the new emergency ward and six in the old emergency department.

“There are splits and chillers which have been installed in both hospitals and the environment has become pleasant. During the last week, because of the heatwave, the situation was out of control,” he said.

On Sunday, Mr Patel reached the hospital and directed the administration to install air conditioners in the emergency department within 24 hours. He also expressed annoyance over the attitude of in charge of the cooling system and directed him to sit from 11am to 4pm in one place. Later, the minister said the project of the cooling system was delayed because of the Public Works Department (PWD) and informed him that he had also spoken to secretary (housing and works) to expedite the upgradation process.

The doctors held a protest on Saturday and blamed the ad-hoc system at the hospital for the deaths of at least four patients in the emergency ward of the hospital due to suffocating heat.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2023