The outpatient department (OPD) services resumed at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research after more than seven months on Monday.
The services are restricted to five departments — general surgery, internal medicine, paediatric medicine, obstetrics, gynaecology and ophthalmology — and the number of patients to be seen daily has been capped at 50 in each of them.
Dr Jagat Ram, director, PGIMER, said restoring OPDs to their full capacity will take time, but the number of patients being seen physically will be increased after Diwali.
On Monday, 700 patients visited the OPDs, including radiotherapy, obstetrics and related clinics that were not closed during the lockdown. Meanwhile, 1,200 patients consulted the doctors through telephone.
Before the pandemic, OPDs witnessed a footfall of more than 10,000 patients a day. The services were abruptly shut on March 19 due to fear of infection spread among patients and for diverting more health workers to Covid duties. From May 19, tele-consultation started, and around 2,100 patients are using it every day.
Even now, patients are first being evaluated through tele-consultation and only those requiring physical examination are being called to the OPDs through an appointment system.
“I have directed the officials to see what issues are faced at OPDs in the next 10 days, and to resolve them, so that the number of patients allowed at OPDs can be increased gradually. After Diwali, we expect to provide physical consultation to more people,” said Dr Jagat Ram.
{{/usCountry}}“I have directed the officials to see what issues are faced at OPDs in the next 10 days, and to resolve them, so that the number of patients allowed at OPDs can be increased gradually. After Diwali, we expect to provide physical consultation to more people,” said Dr Jagat Ram.
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