UBAIR QURESHI The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Monday decided to close down its Out-Patient Department (OPD) from Tuesday (today) for next fifteen days in order to prevent transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19). PIMS’ OPD is the most crowded Out-Patient Department in all the capital hospitals and daily according to a rough estimate, 5,000 patients visit the hospital for medical advice/treatment. Besides, each patient is accompanied by at least one attendant. Since the hospital lacks facilities to screen each of them it was feared by the public health authorities that such a large number of arrivals could contribute to widespread of virus. Earlier in a meeting on March 21, 2020 it was decided to minimize operation of the OPD and the PIMS administration had decided to examine patients at OPD only in case of acute emergency. The minutes of the meeting said that a meeting with heads of clinical departments and nursing staff regarding treatment of COVID-19 patients was held on Saturday under the chairmanship of the Executive Director (ED) in the conference room. It was decided that treatment in OPDs will be continued but modified by heads of clinical departments. The meeting also decided to advise patients to visit OPDs in case of acute emergency only. However, on Monday the decision was revised and now the OPD is closed down to all kind of consultancy, advice or treatment and according to the hospital spokesperson, patients will now be examined only at the emergency department of the hospital. “The patients are encouraged to stay at home and if possible wait till re-opening of the hospital and seek advice on phone on online, however our emergency is open for treatment,” the spokesperson further said. To a question, the spokesperson said all the precautionary measures are being taken to prevent the spread of virus and patients as well as their attendants are screened and sanitized on regular basis and the doctors too are observing necessary protocols to treat these patients. The PIMS administration also issued a notification of banning all kinds of requests of leaves also. The notification issued said that it is circulated for information and strict compliance of all heads/ incharges of various departments of PIMS that due to health emergency COVID-19, all kinds of requests for leaves are hereby banned. Meanwhile, troops were deployed at various points in Islamabad in response to the request made by the Interior Ministry. Islamabad Capital Authority (ICT) Chief Commissioner had sent a request to the Interior Ministry through a letter dated March had asked for deployment of army to counter the prevailing situation related to COVID-19.
