Tag: hospital

  • More than 1000 Pakistani doctors volunteer to help in Gaza

    More than 1000 Pakistani doctors volunteer to help in Gaza

    Alkhidmat Health Foundation has announced that over 1000 doctors from Pakistan, including 400 females, have volunteered their services to provide treatment to the critically wounded and injured in Gaza. Currently, the death toll has hit 7000 dead civilians and right now there is fear of further genocide as Israel has cut off all communication services, leaving media organisations and human rights organisations completely in the dark. The few videos that have released so far show intense bombing and vicious attacks on refugee camps.

    Speaking to ‘The News’, the chairman of Al-Khidmat Health Foundation Dr Zahid Latif, said: “Since Saturday when we launched an online appeal for healthcare volunteers to serve in the Gaza strip, over 1,000 medical specialists including orthopedic, vascular and general surgeons, anesthetists, pediatric surgeons, emergency and critical care specialists and gynaecologists have registered with us to help their injured and sick brethren in Gaza.”

    Gaza is undergoing a healthcare crisis, tethering on the brink of collapse as they overpile with civilians and children wounded and critically injured from the ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Al-Shifa hospital currently holds 62,000 displaced Gazans, and more than 600 babies are in incubators out of which 120 are on critical life-or-death situations, according to Dr. Amr.

    Dr Zahid said among the 40 per cent health care specialists who have volunteered to go to Gaza, there were female specialists including genealogists, pediatricians, surgeons, including nurses who expressed their desire to go and help the wounded in Gaza.

    He further added the organisation has approached the World Health Organisation (WHO) office in Islamabad, as well as the office of Cairo, Egypt to let them know about how Pakistani health professionals are willing to provide services in Gaza, despite how difficult it is to enter the region at this moment.

    “We very well know that at the moment, it is almost impossible to go to Gaza due to ongoing war but we are under tremendous pressure from Pakistani healthcare fraternity to make arrangements for them to go to Gaza. At the moment, the WHO and our partner organisations have not given us any green signal to send the healthcare professionals to any neighbouring country of Israel for serving in Gaza,” Dr Latif said.

    Currently, Al-Khidmat organisation is sending medicines, medical supplies, hygiene facilities and safe delivery kits to aid hospitals in Gaza through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), while their Turkish-based partner is providing food and other facilities to the reigion.

    “There are around 50,000 pregnant ladies in Gaza, who need medical assistance for safe deliveries and at a time when most of the health facilities have been destroyed by the Israeli forces, safe deliveries can only be carried out at homes where they would need safe delivery kits and proper awareness,” Dr Latif said.

  • Israel tries deflecting blame for hospital attack; evidence proves otherwise

    Israel tries deflecting blame for hospital attack; evidence proves otherwise

    On Tuesday night, Israel targeted Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza in an air-strike that killed more than 1000 civilians.

    Media reports state that thousands of Palestinians were present in the hospital for treatment and refuge when it was attacked.

    As the world recoiled in horror, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Intelligence from multiple sources we have in our hands indicates that Islamic Jihad is responsible for the failed rocket launch which hit the hospital in Gaza.”

    However, fact-checking organisations and journalists are proving otherwise. Evidence show that the former digital media officer of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shared a post announcing that “the Israeli Air Force has hit a hospital in Gaza”.

    “It was determined that Naftali, who deleted the post after a short time, tried to manipulate the world public opinion by sharing posts claiming that “the missile that hit the hospital was fired from Gaza””

    Additonally, the official Israeli state account posted a video blaming Hamas for the bombing of the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital but later removed it on realizing it was filmed after the attack and had a time stamp proving so.

    The Palestinian Ambassador to the UN also rebutted the claims being made by Israel.

    Busting false information

    Communications Directorate’s Center for Combating Disinformation, a Turkish fact checking body, said on X:

    “The claim that ‘(Palestinian group) Hamas, not Israel, carried out the attack’ on the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza’s al-Zaytoun neighbourhood is false,”

    After analysis of widely circulated media posts it was deducted that the “images shared by Israeli propaganda accounts claiming that a ‘Hamas missile hit the hospital’ were from 2022,” not 2023.

    The Anadolu Agency quotes the centre in which it has been pointed out “the Israeli army demanded the immediate evacuation of hospitals, alleging that they were being used as shelters,” reinforcing that Israeli forces were “deliberately” carrying out the deadly attacks.

    “The claim shared on some social media accounts that ‘Gaza’s official account admits that Hamas carried out the hospital attack’ is not true,

    “’Gaza Report’ account cited as the basis for the claim is not the official account of Gaza or any Palestinian institution,”

    “It has been determined that the account was used for manipulation purposes.”

  • Over 80,000 errors in medical prescriptions reported

    Over 80,000 errors in medical prescriptions reported

    On World Pharmacists Day 2023 on Tuesday, The News highlighted that 80,000 prescription errors have been reported in the past year at major health centres in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

    Prescription errors means that doctors either prescribed wrong medicine, incorrect dosage, or did not take into consideration the interaction between drugs, a potentially fatal error.

    “Of these 80,000 prescription errors, 96% errors were accepted and recognized by the prescribing physicians and surgeons and they rectified their prescriptions in consultation with clinical pharmacists to ensure patient safety”, Sardar Shabbir Ahmed, President of Pakistan Pharmacists Association (PPA), told a ceremony to mark the World Pharmacists Day 2023.

    He also highlighted that prescription error is the sixth leading cause of death in developed countries like America as 7000-9000 people die every year due to this mistake.

    He urged that there is an urgent need to “introduce clinical pharmacy services at all the public and private health facilities to prevent deaths and disabilities due to medication errors and adverse drug reactions”.

    A solution for that, as Shabir Ahmed provided, is pharmacovigilance centers across the country that will keep the prescription procedure in check by detecting, monitoring and preventing “adverse drug reactions” and keep patients safe.

  • Injection causing vision loss withdrawn from market

    Injection causing vision loss withdrawn from market

    Federal Health Minister Nadeem Jan has banned the sale and usage of Avastin injection that led to severe eye infections and loss of vision.

    On Sunday, Caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, held a meeting with the Health department and doctors to discuss the matter.

    The number of patients affected by the injection across Punjab has increased to more than sixty, with the highest number of cases in Multan. The number of patients affected is expected to increase.

    According to the health minister, diabetic patients in Lahore, Kasur and other districts were given Avastin injections to tackle retinal damage, however, it led to severe infections and loss of sight in a dozen patients.

    Punjab Chief Minister has also halted sales of the injection in question and to remove stock from the market till the inquiry report is finished.

    Moreover, a case has been lodged against the two absconding suppliers of locally manufactured injection Avastin, while Punjab government has formed a five-member committee of experts to look into the matter and submit a report in three days.

    The Chief Minister has stated that strict action will be taken against all concerned drug inspectors for negligence and the affected persons will be treated free of cost.

    The Punjab government has also decided to monitor the supply of eye medicines, forming a committee for the sale of eye medicines and injections to issue licences.

    All the details of medicines and injections will be compiled in the data of the health department and there will be monitoring of surgeons’ procedures.

    The issue was raised by Chaudhary Manzoor Ahmed, member of Pakistan Peoples Party, who had posted on X (formerly Twitter) that his friend got infected and eventually blinded after getting the injection.

  • ‘Mastermind’ behind MDCAT cheating scam arrested

    ‘Mastermind’ behind MDCAT cheating scam arrested

    Peshawar police have arrested seven suspects on Friday, including the mastermind “facilitating” cheating in the recent Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).

    City police issued a statement saying that they had received several complaints of some students cheating via Bluetooth devices and more.

    So far, 74 candidates, including men and women have been arrested and 19 cases have been registered at eight police stations in the provincial capital.

    The police claim to have arrested Zafar Khattak, the alleged mastermind of the scandal following the initiation of a formal investigation — a joint operation by the Peshawar and Kohat police led to the arrest.

    Khattak’s brother, along with Fahad, Fazal Subhan, Arshad, Fazl Wahab and Aminullah have also been arrested; all of whom are said to be highly-educated people.

    Electronic devices have been recovered which are to be sent to the Federal Investigation Agency for forensic examination.

    According to the police, other districts have also recovered 44 devices including microphones, mobile phones and a smart watch.

  • CM orders treatment for baby born with heart outside chest

    CM orders treatment for baby born with heart outside chest

    A baby boy born at the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, Muzaffargarh had the rare congenital defect of having his heart outside of the chest.

    According to Pakistan Observer, surgeons confirmed that the baby’s heart was located outside the chest cavity, and had a congenital heart defect with a hole.

    24 News has confirmed that on the instructions of Punjab’s Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the baby, named Abdulllah, will be shifted to Lahore’s Children’s Hospital on Tuesday for treatment.

    Before being taken to Lahore for further treatment, the child was admitted to Children’s Hospital, Multan.

    The chief minister also gave instructions for special arrangements to be made for the child’s treatment.

    The baby’s congenital defect is referred to as Ectopia Cardis, an extremely rare condition in which the heart develops outside of the chest wall.

    The condition, often accompanied by other birth defects such as cleft palate or a curved spine, can be fatal if left untreated.

  • ‘Baby killer’ Lucy Letby will spend the rest of her life in prison

    ‘Baby killer’ Lucy Letby will spend the rest of her life in prison

    Lucy Letby, the newborn murdering serial killer, has been sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday by a Manchester court. The 33-year-old nurse was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six more while on duty in the children’s ward at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England.

    Manchester Crown Court judge Justice Gross said at the sentencing, “You acted in a way that was completely contrary to the normal human instincts of nurturing and caring for babies.”

    Her offences also include “inappropriate remarks” she made after the deaths of the babies.
    “Lucy Letby has destroyed our lives. The anger and the hatred I have towards her will never go away. It has destroyed me as a man and as a father,” said a father of two babies murdered by Letby.

    The former nurse, however, was not present in the courtroom during her sentence hearing nor did she follow the hearing via videolink from prison.

    According to Sky New, Judges have the choice to compel people to appear before them for sentencing but it is reliant on prison governors to execute this order as it would be their staff who would have to force someone from their cell. Nonetheless, an extra two years can be added to a sentence if the person refuses to attend the court.

    UK’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak has said “I think it’s cowardly that people who commit such horrendous crimes do not face their victims”

    The parents of the victims were present at the sentencing. One mother said, “Even in these final days of the trial, she tried to control things, the disrespect she has shown the families and the court show what type of person she is.

    “We have attended court day in and day out, yet she decides she has had enough, and stays in her cell, just one final act of wickedness from a coward.”

    Journalists Josh Halliday, present in the courtroom, tweeted: “The most harrowing two hours I’ve ever spent in a courtroom. I spent some of it writing through tears. The families’ statements – delivered to an empty dock where Letby should have been sitting – were utterly shocking from start to finish.”

    The Letby Case

    Senior doctors became concerned with a sudden rise in medical emergencies and deaths of babies at the neonatal unit from January 2015 to a span of 18 months. In each case, the child would suddenly develop life threatening complications.

    Police were soon asked to look into the matter, and they quickly honed in to Lucy Letby, present at each of the emergencies, usually during the night shift.

    She was arrested in July 2018 and then in June 2019. She was arrested once again in November 2020 and was charged with murder and murder attempts between June 2015 and July 2016.

    According to the prosecutors, Letby tried to kill 17 babies. It is said that while the babies were in the ward, Letby would give them lethal amounts of insulin, inject air into their bloodstream or stomach, or give them excessive milk.

    Her victims include a pair of twins as well as two siblings whom she killed on consecutive days. The youngest victim was a day old while the oldest was an 11 weeks old girl who Letby tried to kill four times till she finally succeeded. Additionally, among premature babies were hopeful cases whose improving condition worsened during the nights shift when Letby was on duty.

    As per Reuters, the police have not been able to conclude the motive behind the attacks. “Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll ever know unless she just chooses to tell us,” said Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes, who led the investigation.

    Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Evans, the deputy senior investigating officer, said that Letby had a “healthy social life, she had a circle of friends, she had her parents and holidays”. She claims that police could not find anything unusual for “a woman of her age at that point in her life”.

    However, as reported by CNN, handwritten notes and memos were found during a search of her house that read, “I don’t deserve to live. I killed them on purpose because I’m not good enough to care for them,” and “I am a horrible evil person” and in capital letters “I am evil I did this.”

    Police will be reviewing Letby’s career before the period covered under the charges at Countess of Chester Hospital and at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital where she had spent part of her training.

    More than 4,000 babies were admitted in the two hospitals between 2012 to 2016. And while every admission will be thoroughly reviewed, only the “concerning” cases will be further investigated, say Hughes.

  • 18,000 Punjabis ate their way to the hospital during Eid

    18,000 Punjabis ate their way to the hospital during Eid

    Punjab’s public and private hospitals faced an emergency of sorts during the Eid holidays after over 18,000 patients were admitted on gastrointestinal related illnesses after consuming too much meat.

    Around 3,000 people were admitted in hospitals in Lahore alone, with most complaining of stomach ache, heartburn and high blood pressure.

    Anticipating the influx of overeating citizens, the Punjab government had already put public hospitals on high alert, with doctors, nurses and paramedical staff on duty to administer to the population’s needs.

  • Newborn baby severely burnt after hospital staff forgets to remove her from warmer

    Newborn baby severely burnt after hospital staff forgets to remove her from warmer

    A newborn baby girl has suffered severe burns after medical staff at BHU Hospital in Jhelum forgot to take her out from a warmer.

    As per news reports, the baby was moved to the DHQ Hospital in critical condition.

    According to the spokesperson for the Jhelum Health Department, CEO Health Dr. Mian Mazhar has also suspended all of the labour room employees. LHV Nadia and two midwives, Farzana and Samia, were among the members of the suspended staff.

    Paediatric Regulations will be applied to the negligent employees while their employment contracts will be terminated.

  • Punjab Health Department announces 4,600 new positions

    Punjab Health Department announces 4,600 new positions

    Dr Yasmin Rashid, the provincial health minister, has announced the creation of 4,600 new positions in the Punjab Health Department. On Monday, she made this declaration while serving as the meeting’s chair in the Department of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education.

    Participating in the meeting were Chief Planning Officer Abdul Haq Bhatti, the newly appointed Secretary of Health Dr Ahmad Javaid Qazi, Special Secretary M. Usman, Additional Secretaries Zahida Azhar, Shahida Farrukh, Dr Hafiz Shahid Latif, Quratul Ain, and Agha Nabil, as well as the respective Deputy Secretaries.

    The Provincial Health Minister received a briefing from Special Secretary M. Usman and associated supplementary secretaries. During the meeting, Dr Yasmin Rashid went over in detail the initiatives for the regional blood centre, mother and child hospitals, midwifery colleges, new doctor hires in the health department, and the sehat sahulat card.

    She stated that the Punjab Public Service Commission has received a request to fill 4600 new positions from the Department of Specialized Health and Medical Education. Punjabi mother and child hospitals are making rapid progress. The Punjab Health Department has seen a record amount of medical personnel hired by our government.

    According to the provincial health minister, we are making every effort to address the shortfall of physicians, nurses, and paramedics in Punjab’s government teaching hospitals. Through the sehat sahulat card, free medical facilities worth billions of rupees are offered.

    The health department has been given instructions to follow the procedure for hiring new medical personnel every day. According to her, preparations are being made for the local blood centre. The procedure for developing medical officers is being finished by the department, including the working papers.

    Dr Yasmin Rashid stated that Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi’s posting is a positive development. He is among the most diligent and trustworthy officers. She stated that Dr Qazi would endeavour to advance medical education.