RAWALPINDI: The caretaker Punjab government on Monday decided to temporarily close Holy Family Hospital for the execution of the Rs2 billion upgradation/revamping project.

The government asked the hospital administration to hand over the new block building area to the Communication and Works (C&W) Department as soon as possible.

Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha issued a notification which stated: “As per the directions of the Chief Minister and subsequent approval by Planning & Development Board, Lahore regarding Up-gradation/Revamping of Holy Family Hospital, the services of the hospital hereby closed temporarily till the completion of the project.”

The commissioner asked the hospital administration to shift the dengue ward and any other service as deemed appropriate to Red Crescent building. Moreover, allied/teaching hospitals will be utilised optimally for provision of services to the patients and effective transportation plan will be ensured.

Departments will be shifted to Red Crescent Hospital and RIU,says Professor Umer

Further, he said, the area of HFH under revamping scheme would be vacated immediately and handed over to C&W department for smooth execution of the project.

In August, the caretaker government formed special management committees for revamping of hospitals in the province. The special management committees have been formed in all hospitals.

The committee is headed by the commissioner while its members include Special Secretary Specialised Health, Deputy Commissioner, Vice Chancellor Rawalpindi Medical University, medical superintendent of the hospital, professor of the concerned ward and a C&W department representative.

The committee would review the existing number of beds and human resources to prepare a comprehensive plan for the modernisation of the teaching hospitals. It will also ensure maximum utilisation of available space and allocation of beds according to the number of patients for each section of hospitals.

Under the project, special washrooms, ramps and separate ramps for moving stretchers would be designed for the disabled patients in the hospital. A senior official in commissioner office said the revamping of the HFH would be done in such a way that there would be no need of any work for at least 10 years.

During remodeling, special attention would be paid to the facade of the hospital building as well as the comfort of patients. Special washrooms would also be designed for persons with disabilities.

A special ramp for patients shifting on stretchers and a separate line for waste transfer should also be established. He said resources should be allocated by looking at the patient flow in different wards within the hospital and the urology ward should be shifted to the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology.

Talking to Dawn, Rawalpindi Medical University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Umer said the RMU had made a comprehensive plan to shift the hospital’s departments to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology. Dengue and gynae wards will be shifted to Pakistan Red Crescent Hospital near HFH.

“We have the experience as Benazir Bhutto Hospital’s OPD was closed during the Covid-19 pandemic and its departments were shifted to HFH and District Headquarters Hospital as the BBH was declared a Covid specialised hospital.”

The HFH has a total area of 672,000 square feet. The number of beds in the hospital wards is 1,030. The average number of patients reported in its OPD is 2161, 228 patients in wards and 915 patients in the emergency daily.

In phase one, the old block while in phase two the renovation of the new OPD and indoor block will be carried out. The revamping will include floor and wall tiles, paint, doors, windows, nursing counters, repair of washrooms, electrical work inside the building as well as uplifting of facade, he added.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2023