No shortage of health facilities for COVID-19 patients: Mirza

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Dr Zafar Mirza on Sunday said that there is no any shortage of bed, ventilator or any other facility for COVID-19 patients at hospitals.

Addressing a press conference at the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Dr Mirza said that only 28 percent ventilators are being used at hospitals to support corona patients while sufficient quantity is available for incoming patients.

He made it clear that there is no crises in this regard and things are moving in right direction. He said that so far 723 patients are in critical condition and out of them 201 are on ventilators.

Dr Mirza said that although the number of patients on ventilators are increasing but still the ratio of ventilator usage is low which means still enough number of ventilators and beds are available in hospitals for COVID-19 patients.

He said that the government is committed to ensure availability of medical services for corona patients at hospitals and provision of best possible medical treatment.

He said that the government has developed a Resource Management System (RMS) to collect and provide real-time information about corona patients throughout the country.

He said that the government has developed this system with having update on status of available facilities at public sector hospitals for COVID-19 patients. He said that with this system the government will be able to know the beds and ventilators’ occupancy and availability at ICU and allocated wards of hospitals.

He said that with the help of this system, the authorities concerned can easily manage the situation in hospitals to properly treat the corona patients. He added shortage of any necessary equipment could be managed.

Giving details about RMS, Chief Executive Officer of National Information Technology Board, Shabahat Ali said all the hospitals across Pakistan have been linked with this system.

He said these hospitals can update real time data to provide a unified and consolidated picture of the resources available to treat corona patients in respective hospital.

Shabahat Ali said volunteer and social welfare organizations and government agencies like Edhi Foundation and Rescue 1122 will also be given access to RMS so that they can get updated information about availability of beds, ventilators, and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits for people suffering from COVID-19.

He said over 1,500 hospitals across the country have been linked with this system, providing real time information about availability of space, beds, ventilators, and other facilities to handle Corona patients before moving to a particular health facility.