Health ministry issues advisory for suspension of OPDs

ISLAMABAD                     –            The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) on Wednesday issued an advisory for suspension of Outdoor Patients Departments (OPDs) of the federal city hospitals for an indefinite period.

The ministry also issued orders to graduallydecrease the indoor patients’ number in hospitals also.

The advisory issued said that in compliance of decisions taken by the National Coordination Committee regarding preventive measures and precautionary measures to control COVID-19, all hospitals and medical institutions in ICT Islamabad working under administrative control of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination are hereby advised as under.

“It said that All OPDs shall remain closed till further orders, while number of indoor patients to be decreased gradually to create space for COVID-19 patients,” said the advisory.

It also said that no leave request of medical and paramedical staff be entertained and their attendance shall be ensured.

Earlier, in the previous month, PIMS top administration held a meeting to review the situation of COVID-19 situation and decided to close the OPD and extended the isolation ward facility. After the extension of the ward, the bed capacity in PIMS will be increased to 70.

The FGS Polyclinic hospital also suspended its OPD after confirmation of COVID-19 in its staff including a doctor.

PIMS hospital management had decided to convert entire Medical Ward-II into an isolation ward and shift all patients there.

A meeting of heads of clinical departments and nursing staff regarding of COVID-19 was held under the chairmanship of Executive Director in the auditorium of PIMS. All the head of departments and stakeholders of nursing staff attended the meeting.

It said the Executive Director briefed the head of departments about meeting. He briefed that Ministry of NHSRC is looking towards PIMS regarding treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Article source: https://nation.com.pk/02-Apr-2020/health-ministry-issues-advisory-for-suspension-of-opds