After their administrations declared emergencies due to tensions with India, public hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been on high alert. Staff are expected to respond at any time.
In Islamabad, all scheduled leaves of doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, and administrative staff under the health ministry and its subordinate institutions have been revoked immediately, and employees must report to work immediately.
The national emergency has also forced Health Minister Mustafa Kamal to cancel his Geneva and Qatar travels. He said his first concern is domestic security and public health.
Federal health institution offers 24/7 emergency quick response center. Health emergencies caused by the conflict will be assessed and addressed by the centre. To ensure coordination and efficiency, it will communicate directly with province and district health authorities.
Health minister cancels medical personnel departure immediately; Iesco declares power supply emergency.
A spokesman said provincial health secretaries must coordinate with the federal government. They must also update their emergency response plans to comply with government rules.
After the recent escalation with India that killed around two dozen residents, Rawalpindi Medical University (RMU) declared a health emergency in the garrison city’s hospitals.
RMU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Umer called a meeting of the professors and medical superintendents of the garrison city’s hospitals, including Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, and Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital, to plan for emergency patient care and medicine supply.
Prof Dr Muhammad Umer told Dawn after the meeting that the hospital had enough lifesaving medications and medical staff leaves had been cancelled to handle any emergency. “The professors and doctors are also ready to work in the ‘warzone’ to treat border patients and have informed the government,” he said.
He added the meeting decided to organize adequate blood in the blood bank, emergency beds, and other amenities.
Hospitals will be ready to handle blunt, burn, gunshot, and shrapnel injuries, he claimed. He said officials were in hospitals to cooperate with the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Civil Defence, and Rescue 1122.
Iesco enforces emergency
To maintain energy in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) declared an emergency. Iesco CEO Muhammad Naeem Jan said all leaves had been canceled and directorates were more operationally ready.
The central control room in Islamabad monitors 132kv grid stations in Iesco and Azad Kashmir 24/7. He instructed operational and construction teams to respond quickly to and fix any emergencies.
