1,000 PATIENTS IN BIHAC HOSPITAL, FURTHER 600 DISCHARGED, ICRC SAY

SAY $ S ZAGREB, Dec 2 (Hina) - "Today delegates from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), based in Bihac, will provide a third 5,000 litre tank to the town's hospital, together with additional jerry cans to assist in the provision of water to all wards," the ICRC today said in a statement. "The Bihac hospital is still regularly being supplied by the ICRC with emergency surgical material, but these stocks will only last another two or three weeks," the statement reads. "There are about 1,000 patients in the hospital at any given time, and every one of them is being accommodated in a bed, whereas a further 600 patients have been discharged and they are cared for privately in the town," the Head of the ICRC sub-delegation who is visiting the hospital daily, is quoted in the statement as saying. "When there is a large influx of wounded, the average length of hospitalization always decreases. Patients receive first aid, surgery if necessary and when stabilized they are discharged so beds are made available for new cases, " the ICRC's Medical Coordinator, based in Zagreb, said in the statement. The ICRC provides IV fluids, blood bags, antibiotics, dressings, sterilisation materials and anesthetics to enable hospital staff to continue operating on urgent cases, according to the statement. (hina) mar mms 021542 MET dec 94