The incident of rats nibbling on a newborn baby at Holy Family Hospital this week highlighted the issue of a prevalent vermin infestation in the twin cities. Despite strict hygiene regulations for health facilities and a large sanitary staff, rodents and vermin run amok throughout the two cities.
Rats and stray cats in various parts of the city including hospitals, hotels and other important buildings could even cause a plague epidemic in the twin cities.
A survey conducted by INP revealed that rats, cockroaches and pests thrive in every nook and corner of the twin cities. Major hospitals including Holy Family Hospital (HFH), Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PIMS) and other healthcare facilities were plagued by rats, cockroaches and fleas. Moreover, important buildings like the Parliament House and Parliament Lodges were also subject to the pest invasion.
Earlier a newborn baby had been bitten by rats on his lips, nose, cheeks and other parts of his body in HFH. The situation indicated poor sanitation in healthcare facilities and negligence on the part of the hospital administration.
HFH Medical Superintendent Captain (r) Fiaz acknowledged the presence of rats in the hospital, and initiated a cleanup operation.
The hospital administration was of the opinion that due to the presence of children, rat poison could not be placed in the hospital.
Citizens talking to INP said that a cleanup operation should be launched in all healthcare facilities, and added, “This is appalling and should not happen in modern hospitals. It points to a lack of general hygiene.”
Health practitioners said that rats could carry infections disease that could be transmitted to healthcare workers and patients. Infections by rat bites could also put the patients’ recovery at risk.
They said that it could cause death if the victim was not vaccinated soon after the bite.
Rawal Town TMO Ahmad Kamal said that godowns in residential areas and heaps of garbage along Nullah Leh had led to the rat infestation and an operation would be launched to obliterate pests.
An operation to control vermin infestation had been launched 13 years ago and Nullah Leh had been laced with pesticide pills to check the rat population. This project, however, was abandoned in the wake of floods in 2001.
