The administration of Lahore General Hospital (LGH) has also started a programme for rehabilitation of earthquake victims, apart from providing them medical facilities.
On Monday, four more earthquake victims were brought at the LGH by their relatives from Balakot raising the total number of patients from Northern Areas to 61. Those who were brought at LGH on Monday included Nadia (27), Junaid (20), Faiza (18) and Hifza (3).
The LGH Medical Superintendent Dr Ijaz Ahmad Sheikh told Business Recorder 19 injured persons had already been discharged from the hospital after their total recovery. At present, he stated there were 61 earthquake victims in the LGH and totally free medical treatment was being provided to them.
Talking about rehabilitation programme of victims, he said LGH with co-operation of well to do people was providing cash, woolies and other essential items to the injured and their relatives.
To a question, he said the LGH had reserved 100 beds for earthquake victims. In this hour of need we were ready to accommodate maximum earthquake victims for their rehabilitation.
Moreover, it is learnt provincial government has asked administrations of different hospitals in the province to reserve maximum number of beds in their respective hospitals for earthquake victims. The provincial government has issued the directions in pursuance of directions received from federal government.
Meanwhile, a social worker Ghulam Farooq who recently visited Balakot told this scribe the relief activities were being concentrated in main accessible areas of the earthquake, while victim population in inaccessible areas direly awaited assistance. He stated emotion ran high when people saw blood scenes on natural calamities. He said he had met a number of people who said they were facing sleep disorder after the devastating earthquake. He further said people also needed vaccination against malaria and other diseases. He urged the government to send team of psychiatrists in earthquake-hit areas for treatment of people facing mental trauma and other psychological problems.