PIMS dengue cell staff demand more workforce.

Byline: Rahul Basharat

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) dengue cell staff on Saturday in protest stopped work for two hours in the morning and demanded from hospital administration to provide more workforce from administration to cater growing number of dengue patients.

The dengue cell staff had asked the hospital administration a month ago for adding more workforce to cater the patients.

In last 24 hours, 1,900 dengue suspects were brought to hospital, while 800 confirm patients were registered.

The staff on protest said that daily hundreds of dengue patients visit hospital and the staff deployed on duty is overburdened with work.

They said that overload of work since the dengue season started has exhausted them and they want more number of staff to be deployed to examine dengue patients.

Video footages also showed empty counters of the dengue cell at PIMS.

Spokesperson PIMS Dr. Waseem Khawaja said that daily hundreds of dengue suspects visit hospital and PIMS has received over 5,000 dengue suspects during season.

'No doubt huge patients' influx remained on PIMS,' he said.

Dr. Waseem said that despite of thousands of patients PIMS has provided healthcare as per its capacity.

He said that there is already shortage of nursing staff at PIMS and in emergency situations indeed it is difficult to manage with existing strength.

He said that there was no suspension of services for patients however concerns of the staff of dengue patients have been observed and its strength will be increased as per capacity of the hospital.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza headed the daily dengue meeting attended by...