The Private Hospital Clinics Association has suggested that only specified hospitals and facilities in Sindh should treat coronavirus patients and others be left for those in need of urgent care.
The recommendations were presented at a meeting of hospital heads and representatives at the Sindh minister for health’s office on Thursday.
Liaquat National Hospital’s Dr. Salman Faridi, Dr. AsimHussain from the ZiauddinHospial, Dr. Abdul Bari of the Indus Hospital, Dr. ZerkaisAnkelsaria, Dr. SadiaRizvi from South City Hosptal and Chief Technical Advisor for Sindh Health Secretary Dr. Aijaz Ahmed Khanzadawere present at the meeting. The meeting decided that a command and control center will be established by the Sindh government under the focal person on coronavirus Dr. Bari. Private hospitals will provide consultants in special fields and be available to the center.
The meeting appreciated efforts of the Sindh government in these difficult times and supported the decision of the lockdown. The participants said that there were already 1,000 beds available for coronavirus patients at the Agha Khan Hospital, Indus Hospital and Dow International, and the government had provided huge financial support to these institutions. It was suggested that all hospitals should not be infected and left for patients who need urgent care, a majority of whom are elderly citizens.
Once those 2,200 beds at the Indus Hospital, Dow International, AKH and the field isolation center are occupied, then a list of hospitals would be given to treat coronavirus patients, the participants suggested.
These hospitals will be provided necessary safety equipment and medicines by the Sindh government The private sector assured that it would provide both equipment and manpower if the Sindh government faced a shortage of beds. The health minister assured private hospital representatives of the government’s complete cooperation in this regard.
