Sindh allocates Rs2.7b for boosting health infrastructure
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced on Wednesday the release of Rs2.7 billion for upgrading the province’s health infrastructure as part of the strategy to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Chairing a meeting at the CM House, he said that the allocated funds would be used for enhancing the functionality and capacity of existing hospitals, in addition to making two new facilities operational, keeping in view the threat of the further spread of the pandemic.
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He directed the health department to make at least 500 more monitors and 200 ventilators available to hospitals in the province, as well as to complete setting up a 50-bed hospital in Gulistan-e-Johar and 200-bed infectious diseases hospital in NIPA by June.
Upgrading existing facilities
The meeting decided to expand the capacity of intensive care units (ICUs), high dependency units (HDUs) and isolation wards in 21 hospitals, including Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Trauma Centre, Dow University of Health Sciences’ Ojha Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Lyari General Hospital, Sindh Services Hospital, Indus Hospital, National Institute of Child Health, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Aga Khan University Hospital, Dr. Ziauddin Hospital, Liaquat University of Health and Medical Sciences, Peoples University of Medical and Health and Medical Sciences for Women, Civil Hospital Khairpur, Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences, Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College, Chandka Medical College, Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences, Kotri district headquarter hospital, Indus Hospital in Badin and Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences.
It was agreed that 186 ICU beds, 268 HDU beds, and 1,143 beds for isolation wards would be provided to these healthcare facilities.
The CM was told ICUs, collectively housing 131 beds, and HDUs, collectively housing 174 beds, had been established at 10 different hospitals in Karachi. He was further briefed that 61 ICU beds and nine HDU beds were vacant in the city.
He was informed that 30 new monitors and six ventilators were delivered to CHK, while arrangements were completed for supplying piped oxygen to medical and surgical wards at the hospital. Moreover, he was told that a negative pressure ICU was expected to be completed soon and medical wards, housing 85 beds, would be made functional shortly after being equipped with 60 more monitors. Similarly, two surgical wards, as well as a 27-bed ICU and 53-bed HDU, are to be made operational soon with 23 additional ventilators and 53 new monitors.
New hospitals
The CM was apprised of the completion of a 50-bed healthcare facility in Gulistan-e-Johar, opposite the University of Karachi. Officials said the oxygen pipeline for the facility was expected to reach completion by the end of this week.
On the health department’s request, the CM approved Rs95.7 million for procuring equipment, including blood gas analyzers, bi-level positive airway pressure machines, ventilators, monitors, portable suction machines, a portable x-ray machine, electrocardiogram machines, syringe and infusion pumps, crash carts, defibrillators, portable monitors, 35 beds and a generator, for the facility.
Ordering the health department to make the hospital functional within four to six weeks, the CM sought a report on the facility.
Besides, he was informed that a 200-bed hospital, a three-story hospital was being constructed in NIPA.
At this, the CM directed the health department to make the hospital’s ground and first floors, which house 54 beds, operational within five weeks.
Instructions were also issued for private hospitals to expand their ICUs and HDUs.