Emergency services resumed at PIC after two-day closure

LAHORE: The emergency services at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) resumed on Friday after violent protest from lawyers led to closure of the cardio hospital on Wednesday, ARY NEWS reported.

The lawyers attack at the hospital on Wednesday had left at least six people dead and forced several others including those being treated, visitors, doctors and paramedics to flee the hospital premises.

The lawyers, who had a dispute with young doctors, broke into parts of the hospital including the emergency and ICU departments and damaged the hospital infrastructure and machinery.

On Friday, however, the hospital emergency services were resumed after the machinery, which was destroyed during the lawyers’ attack at the hospital, was either fixed or replaced. “Ventilators at the hospital are also brought in working condition,” said the TV report.

The doors and windows which were shattered during the Wednesday’s violent protest in the hospital premises were also fixed.

Read More: PIC Attack: Video shows loved ones struggling to keep patient alive

The hospital will now be treating the cardio patients, who not only come from the capital city of Punjab but also other parts of the province.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Punjab, Sardar Usman Buzdar in a press briefing said that the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) has been restored and will start regular operations from tonight.

The Chief Minister said that all the damages incurred upon the healthcare institute have been verified by an observational committee and their recommendations on the restoration efforts will be taken under consideration and implemented.

CM Usman Buzdar further revealed that investigations are underway to deduce the origins of the attack and to affirm whether the brawl was due to infighting of the doctors and lawyers or has other nefarious motives with hidden players pulling the strings.