PGIMER chalking out plan to test all incoming patients for Covid

The process to finalise the operational modalities will be completed by April 27

The management of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), the region’s biggest public-funded tertiary healthcare centre, is chalking out a detailed strategy to start testing all incoming patients for coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The decision comes in the wake of the death of a six-month-old girl who was tested positive for Covid-19 in a routine pre-operative test for cardiac problem, following which 54 healthcare workers were tested. They were all found negative later. (HT Photo)

Dr Ashok Kumar, official spokesperson, said the decision for screening and testing patients had been taken, but the institute was doing its homework before taking the huge step. “The process is being finalised and operational modalities are being developed. The process will be completed by Monday,” he said.

The decision comes in the wake of the death of a six-month-old girl who was tested positive for Covid-19 in a routine pre-operative test for a cardiac ailment, following which 54 healthcare workers were tested. They were later found negative.

The faculty association of the institute, which represents nearly 600 doctors in 45 departments, had also requested the management to take the decision for the protection of healthcare workers.

CHALLENGE AWAITS OPDs

The premier health institute provides super-specialty healthcare services, mostly for the cardiac, paediatrics and ophthalmology departments which are normally visited by around 10,000 patients daily.

Several patients are from far-off places like Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh as well as from neighbouring Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Therefore, the institute faces a real challenge after the out-patient department (OPD) services, shut after the Covid outbreak in the city since March 19, are restored.

The institute also has 1,948 beds where the average occupancy remains 107%.

Dr JS Thakur, president of the faculty association, said, “Social distancing is not possible in the cramped space of the OPD building. So, there is a need for restoring the referral status of the institute where only patients who actually need advanced care are registered. Such system needs to be developed otherwise social distancing will go for a toss.”