Hiasat calls for expansion of ICU at Prince Hamzah Hospital

AMMAN — Health Minister Ali Hiasat on Wednesday directed Prince Hamzah Hospital Director Mazen Naghway to immediately start preparations to expand the intensive care unit by establishing an adjacent building to accommodate more critical cases.

Hiasat issued the directives during a visit to the hospital to check on nine patients who were injured in a fire that erupted in a building in a Jabal Hussein neighbourhood earlier in the day, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

East Amman Civil Defence Department (CDD) personnel extinguished the fire that erupted in the four-storey building and administered first aid to the injured before transferring them to the hospital, where they were reported to be in fair condition.

During his visit, Hiasat called on the hospital’s administration to coordinate with other hospitals if there is a need to transfer any of the nine patients to them.

He also called for providing the injured with all that is necessary to improve their conditions, especially since most of them inhaled carbon dioxide from the fire.

Hiasat, who is also the head of the hospital’s board of directors, toured its 17-bed ICU and checked on the conditions of the patients.

Naghway briefed him on hospital services, including receiving 2,270 cases during the Eid Al Fitr holiday, 68 of whom were injured in traffic accidents.

The Health Ministry on Tuesday said 1,000 to 2,000 patients received treatment at its hospitals during the holiday — Friday through Monday — while Al Bashir and Prince Hamzah hospitals received 9,000 patients.

Medical cases dealt with during the holiday were related to traffic accidents, brawls, gunshots and playing with firecrackers.

Five people died and 364 were injured in 805 accidents that took place during the Eid holiday, according to the CDD.

The CDD said its cadres also dealt with 1,625 medical cases during the holiday.