PIMS decides against reopening OPDs amid coronavirus outbreak

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital Islamabad has decided against opening its out-patient departments (OPDs) despite orders from the federal capital’s administration owing to fear of coronavirus spread, ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources, a meeting of the hospital’s consultants and head of the departments (HoDs) was held today where it was agreed to continue closure of all the OPD services in the hospital for another month.

“Allowing the operations at the OPDs could risk outbreak of the virus,” the meeting noted.

The sources while quoting participants of the meeting said that the emergency department of the PIMS hospital was playing an effective role in treating patients while telemedicine centre at the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) was also performing well to advise citizens on various diseases.

It is pertinent to mention here that district administration in Islamabad on Thursday decided to resume out-patient departments (OPDs) services in the public and private hospitals across the federal capital that remained shut owing to preventive measures amid coronavirus pandemic.

According to a handout issued, closure of the OPDs in federal capital was creating problems for those eyeing treatment of diseases other than coronavirus.

“The decision was made to facilitate the masses,” the order said adding that the hospitals would be bound to follow guidelines issued by the district administration.

It is pertinent to mention here that the hospitals’ OPDs were shut down in the federal capital on March 24 due to coronavirus outbreak.

According to sources, the out-patient services in Pakistan Institute of Management (PIMS), Poly Clinic Hospital, Federal General Hospital (FGH) and others would be resumed from tomorrow.