New OPD, isolation wards opened at ATH

0A new outpatient department (OPD) and separate isolation wards have been established in the Paediatrics Department of Ayub Teaching Hospital to improve healthcare facilities for children and enhance the department’s capacity to deal with the growing number of patients.
Speaking at the inauguration, Hospital Director Sajjad Ahmad Afridi said work was being carried out round the clock to fulfil commitments made to the people of Hazara. He said Board of Governors Chairman Prof Dr Abid Jameel had issued clear directives for improving healthcare facilities at the hospital.
Mr Afridi said the paediatric OPD and emergency department had previously been operating from the same location, while children requiring isolation were accommodated in the main wards. The arrangement often resulted in a shortage of beds and created difficulties for both patients and medical staff.
He said Ayub Teaching Hospital received patients from across Hazara Division, putting considerable pressure on the Paediatrics Department.
The relocation of the OPD and establishment of separate isolation wards would provide additional space for patients and help prevent children suffering from infectious diseases from coming into contact with other patients, he added.
The new facilities would also provide a better environment for children and their attendants and enable medical staff to provide treatment more efficiently, the director said.
Mr Afridi said efforts to improve infrastructure and introduce additional facilities in the Paediatrics Department would continue to ensure better healthcare for children from Hazara Division and adjoining areas.
He also directed the hospital administration to install an X-ray machine, construct separate washrooms for attendants and establish a dedicated waiting area for patients visiting the Paediatrics Department.