CEO of Petroleum Industry Health Organization (PIHO) Mehdi Hashemi has unveiled the activities of this organization in the social responsibility sector.
He made the announcement against the backdrop of a report about coronavirus patients handled by PIHO.
“Ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country, the death toll in PIHO’s nine hospitals has reached 350, including 240 employees of Petroleum Ministry-affiliate companies,” he said.
He added that about 7,000 persons were hospitalized for covid-19 up to December. He noted that 5,300 were employees of companies affiliated with the Ministry of Petroleum.
Enumerating main measures undertaken by PIHO for preventing the coronavirus, he referred to a screening system for covid patients, supply of 20 ventilators to the Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, launching PCR lab in Ahvaz, Tehran and Mahshahr, preparation of virology lab in Assaluyeh, adoption of policies to protect staff health and hire manpower needed to fight the pandemic, launching a telephone line for counselling, supply of personal protective equipment to local people in Mahshahr, Bushehr and Kharg, northwest and Gachsaran, startup of convalescence centers for covid patients and contribution to disinfection of urban areas.
Hashemi said the Masjed Soleiman hospital built in 1928 for oil staff was the most equipped in the Middle East by that time.
“We can say that this hospital was the best not just in the Middle East, but more equipped than the best hospitals in Russia, India and other nations,” he said.
Several clinics are providing healthcare services to oil workers. They are mostly given outpatient treatment. Severe cases are referred to hospital. Medical services and surgery in hospital are reserved to migrants and those coming from farther areas.
Hashemi said PIHO’s perspective was to become the foremost and the most reliable provider of healthcare service in the Persian Gulf region and among neighboring states.
He added: “Upgrading health, improving the quality of services, improving responsibility and satisfaction of beneficiaries of services, boosting the organizational efficiency, excellence and growth of human capitals, upgrading technology and updating research and improving relations are among the main objectives of PIHO for offering better services.”
Hashemi said active participation in providing preventive health services, training of health issues, disposal of hospital wastes, providing healthcare services, benefiting from local resources, providing healthcare services to local population during all pandemics and fulfilment of active role in regional crisis centers are among the main plans of PIHO in the field of social responsibility.