569 beds allocated in 11 hospitals for dengue patients in Pindi.

RAWALPINDI -- As a measure of effective load management of dengue patients in Rawalpindi, the Punjab government has allocated beds in private hospitals with an influx of dengue patients. Up to 569 beds have been allocated in 11 private hospitals in the city.

According to the health department, 350 beds have been allocated at Watim Hospital in Rawat, 20 in Quaid-i-Azam International Hospital, four in Jinnah Memorial, eight beds in Ahmed Medical Hospital, 10 in Bilal Hospital, four in Maryam Memorial, 10 in Heart International, eight at Bahria Town Hospital, 75 in Cantonment General Hospital (CGH) and 40 each in Railway Hospital and Social Security Hospital.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Secretary Muhammad Usman visited the related hospitals to inspect facilities.

On the occasion, he said that currently patients were receiving treatment on 774 of the 900 beds allocated for dengue patients in government hospitals. The secretary added that they would allocate more beds, if needed, in private hospitals of adjoining cities as well. Usman said that treatment of patients and curtailment of the deadly virus was their top priority.

Dengue count rises

Meanwhile, the number of dengue patients in Rawalpindi district has soared to 3,619 patients as hospitals have been overflown with dengue patients.

Health officials on Thursday said that up to 122 additional dengue patients were brought in from different areas over the past 24 hours.

As many as 74 patients hailed from Potohar Town, an epicentre for the dengue virus. Other cases had emerged from Rawal Town and different parts of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB).

Further, some 220 patients in Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 265 in Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and 119 in District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital have thus far tested positive for dengue.

However, the hospital administration said that treatment facilities were being offered according to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the dengue treatment plan.

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