Only 17 COVID-19 patients put on ventilators in Sindh: NDMA chairman

ISLAMABAD: The chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Mohammad Afzal said on Monday that one-fourth of the beds at different quarantine facilities were still vacant in Karachi and only 17 COVID-19 patients were put on ventilators across Sindh, ARY News reported.

NDMA chairman Lt Gen Mohammad Afzal told the participants of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) meeting regarding the available healthcare facilities in Sindh.

Afzal detailed that overall 913 ventilators were present across Sindh including 835 in government-run hospitals. He added that 160 patients suffering from different diseases were put on ventilators while only 17 vents were being used for COVID-19 patients in Sindh.

The statistics were provided by the NDMA chairman while exchanging views on the death of Dr Furqan-ul-Haq in Karachi due to alleged non-availability of ventilators in many hospitals.

Asad Umar said that the federal government has well-aware about the pressure on different hospitals due to the coronavirus patients. He added that NCOC will continue its discussions over the availability of ventilators across the country in tomorrow’s meeting.

The federal minister announced that the concerned authorities will look into facts regarding Dr Furqan’s death and ordered to provide all necessary equipment and facilities to the doctors and paramedical staff to fight COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier on Sunday, the doctor infected with coronavirus lost his life due to non-availability of the ventilator in different hospitals of Karachi. Dr Furqan lost his life due to non-availability of ventilators in government hospitals, whereas, the private hospitals have also rejected to take him in as they were already packed with coronavirus patients.

A retired general physician Dr Furqan of Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases became the victim of coronavirus around one week ago and went into isolation at his residence.

Dr Furqan kept fighting for life at ambulance for two hours, however, he lost his life when the family brought him to Dow’s Ojha hospital.