On the instructions of the capital administration, the public hospitals in Islamabad have suspended all previously scheduled regular surgeries to save oxygen for critical coronavirus patients.
Pakistan has over 5,000 critical patients of Covid-19, the highest since the start of the pandemic last year. The country’s death toll has also been on a record high for the past few days.
According to Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Fawad Chaudhry, the country is consuming 90 percent of its total oxygen supply, 80 percent of which is being used in the health sector.
Given these circumstances and ever-increasing infections, there is a possibility that the country might face oxygen scarcity in the coming weeks.
To cope with any untoward situation in this regard, the public hospitals in the federal capital have suspended all scheduled regular surgeries to save on oxygen.
In this regard, surgeries have been halted at the CDA Hospital, the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Government Services Hospital, the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, and the Polyclinic.
A total of 151 patients are receiving treatment at PIMS’s coronavirus ward, 11 are admitted to the emergency department while seven patients are on ventilators.
All vents at the Polyclinic have been occupied while a total of 28 patients is being treated at the hospital's COVID-19 ward.
Meanwhile, the CDA Hospital’s coronavirus ward has 42 patients under treatment, while 15 coronavirus patients are being treated at the Services Hospital.
The decision has come a day after the Sindh government banned elective surgeries. The decision was announced by Sindh Government spokesperson, Murtaza Wahab.
Pakistan to import oxygen from China and Iran
Earlier in the day, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Fawad Chaudhry hinted that Pakistan will import oxygen from Iran and China if need be. He made these remarks while addressing a press conference in Islamabad where he shared the insights on the coronavirus situation in Pakistan.