Covid-19 cases down, elective surgeries resume in Gurugram hospitals

Elective surgeries restarted in all private and government health facilities, after the district health department issued orders in this regard on Wednesday. Officials said that the decision has been taken based on a state government directive as the Covid-19 wave has waned across the state. At the district level, 10 coronavirus infections were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the active case count to 314.

Elective surgeries restarted in all private and government health facilities, after the district health department issued orders in this regard on Wednesday. Officials said that the decision has been taken based on a state government directive as the Covid-19 wave has waned across the state. At the district level, 10 coronavirus infections were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the active case count to 314.

HT Image

The chief medical officer for Gurugram, Dr Virender Yadav, on Wednesday issued an order directing all private hospitals, urban primary health centres and government hospitals to start elective surgeries, including eye, ENT and dental works, with immediate effect. Hospitals have been asked to strictly observe safety protocols of mask discipline, social distancing and sanitisation.

“Dental surgeries have been put on halt since last year. It will be resumed after a long time as daily cases of coronavirus infection are on a constant decline. Hospitals will have to ensure basic precautionary norms are followed to avoid transmission of infection in case of heavy footfall,” said Yadav.

Elective surgeries were suspended in the last week of March when the district started reporting a surge in daily new cases of Covid-19. As new cases started declining since the beginning of May, hospitals, earlier this week, were allowed to start routine outpatient departments (OPDs) under different medical departments.

To prevent the spread of infection, hospitals are continuing with tele-consultation and are issuing slots to patients for visiting hospitals based on urgency.

Dr Anjali Kaul, medical superintendent of Artemis Hospitals in Sector 51, said, “With Covid-19 active cases going down, the hospital has started OPDs, and now is the time to resume elective surgeries. All the patients planned for surgeries are screened, appropriately evaluated for Covid-19 status. We are also following the no visitors’ policy so that hospital is less crowded.”

Dr Ritu Garg, zonal director, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, said, “There are many patients who have been waiting to undergo their planned surgeries and it is very important to get it done now, without any delay, to prevent further disease progression. At the hospital, we are ensuring all safety protocols for patients and their attendants.”