Islamabad: The administration of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Thursday informed the National Assembly standing committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination that most of the children suffering from malnutrition are from rural areas of Islamabad, and said that as far as 40% of children are facing malnutrition at capital.
During its meeting on Thursday, the committee was further informed that in order to deal the situation there was only one regular unit available for malnourished children at PIMS that was not enough for the population of capital.
NA committee was informed that PIMS hospital has been facing a shortage of 1,114 posts, including doctors, nurses and other medical staff for the last 15 years.
Keeping in view of the situation, NA committee recommended the federal government to recruit paramedical staff, doctors, nurses, and other medical staff for vacant positions at PIMS on a contractual basis.
The committee meeting, which was chaired by its chairperson, Dr. Muhammad Afzal Dhandla, directed the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination to fill these vacancies immediately on a short-term basis.
He said that at least a three-year contractual period should be announced for all pending seats to serve the patients and improve the efficiency of the hospital.
He added that in order to enhance the performance of the hospital there is an immediate need to fill these vacancies.
The committee also recommended to ask the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) to provide a subsidy on the electricity bills of PIMS and Federal Government Polyclinic hospital.
Earlier, the committee members visited the different departments of the PIMS including the Cardiac center, Mother and Child care ward, and OPD, and inspected the health facilities being provided to the visitors
In a briefing, Dr. Rizwan Taj, Dean of PIMS informed the committee members about the PIMS’s performance and the creation of new research and training center for improving the communication skills of paramedical staff in order to serve the patients in a friendly environment at the hospital.
Dr Muhammad Afzal Dhandla acknowledged the PIMS administration for the innovative steps being taken by the hospital and said that this will help to facilitate the provision of basic healthcare services and a good friendly environment for patients
PIMS Director, Dr Khalid Masood informed the committee that 1,350 beds have been allocated at the hospital to facilitate the patients
“Despite the shortage of beds due to the critical situation of the dengue outbreak, the hospital administration is ensuring the allocation of further beds for incoming patients,” he maintained.