Zubair Qrueshi
The Islamabad Capital Administration (ICT) has directed all private hospitals to display the fee charged by them for the treatment of the coronavirus patients.
The step has been taken after frequent complaints appeared on social media with regard to overcharging by the hospitals in treatment/tests of Covid-19 patients.
In a notification issued from the office of the deputy commissioner, the heads of the 13 private hospitals have been directed to display the expenses charged on the treatment of the Covid-19 patients on their official websites.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat while talking to Pakistan Observer Saturday said we received complaints about charging higher fee for the treatment of the patients.
Under the directive, the private hospitals are bound to display the treatment charges on their websites, besides making public the amount taken from the patients, he said. In this regard, assistant commissioners and magistrates have started an inspection of the private hospitals, the DC said, adding the hospitals will be asked to clarify the difference and provide the details if the charges were different in the hospitals.
Islamabad on Saturday reported 7,163 confirmed cases of coronavirus, an addition of 864 new cases in past 24 hours and 71 deaths (6 in one day) worsening the virus situation in the federal capital.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has stopped admitting new patients after exhausting its existing facility of 75 beds and 26 ventilators.
There is an acute need of more isolation wards at the hospital as it is currently crowded with positive Covid-19 patients, said a senior doctor performing duties at the hospital’s isolation ward.
According to Joint Executive Director of PIMS Dr Minhajus Siraj the hospital has reached its full capacity to deal with the Covid-19 cases.
There are 75 beds reserved for the coronavirus patients at the three isolation wards, one at the Medical 2 and two at the private ward, he added.
Currently, 87 virus-affected patients are being treated in the hospital. Seven patients were discharged from the hospital on Friday after they fully recovered. But their beds were occupied immediately by patients who were being kept in another ward.
“Pims has to set up at least two more isolation wards immediately due to the inflow of the virus-affected patients,” Dr Siraj said, adding one isolation ward was needed on an emergency basis and should be ready by Monday.
It is a timing-taking job to set up an isolation ward, including laying lines for providing oxygen to the patients,” Dr Siraj said adding the ward has to be isolated to prevent the spread of the virus to other parts of the hospital.
