LRH establishes corona complex for timely care to COVID-19 patients

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Management of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s biggest public sector health facility, Lady Reading Hospital has made arrangements for a Corona Complex in the cardiology block to provide timely medical care to COVID-19 patients.

The hospital spokesman, Muhammad Asim, told media that the 190-bed complex would be functional soon. “LRH can accommodate 40 corona patients at the moment, but its capacity will increase up to 230 COVID-19 patients. We have made arrangements and the Corona Complex will begin services soon,” he added.

He said that after very careful assessment, the institutional management committee, corona committee and chairman BoG approved the proposal put forward by Prof Aamir Bilal to convert the cardiology block into Corona Complex.

Dean LRH Prof Dr Abdul Latif Khan said that suspected COVID-19 patients would be admitted in separate isolation (private rooms), CCU and Thoracic HDU while Thoracic ICU would be used for ventilation when general ICU beds are full. He said there were separate beds allocated for positive patients.

He added that they have recently purchased IR dedicated angiography machine worth of Rs130 million, which is functional since September 2019 while 86 procedures have been done so far. He also denied the report that the IR dedicated machine is not functional.

He also said that in view of the current situation, they hospital management are expecting more COVID-19 patients and the Corona Complex will accommodate them with proper medical care and oxygen support.

Head of LRH’s Cardiology Department Assistant Professor Dr Jabar rebuted the report that cardiology services were compromised due to Corona Complex establishment. “Cardiology services will remain open and being shifted to a new block that has a ward, CCU and pacemaker insertion facility as we also cannot compromise on Cath lab services that remain functional 24/7 to deal with heart patients who are rushed to LRH,” he said.

He added that segregated pathway has been made, including a new door and exclusively reserved lift for Cath lab emergencies, keeping all Cath labs and post Cath CCU segregated for corona and functional Cath lab emergencies.