On UP govt’s call, pvt hospitals begin treatment on appointment

Responding to the state government’s call, private hospitals in the state capital have started attending to limited number of patients after prior appointment.

Responding to the state government’s call, private hospitals in the state capital have started attending to limited number of patients after prior appointment.

The appointments are scheduled in a manner so that there is no overcrowding.

“I do follow up of my patients between 11 am and 1 pm every day. The timing has been informed to all my patients over the telephone,” said Dr Anoop Agrawal, secretary of the UP Orthopaedic Association, who owns a hospital in Faizullaganj.

“Even if the OPD hall can accommodate 50 people we ensure only 5 come at a time and sit at a distance from each other,” said Dr Sandip Kapoor, director Health City Hospital in Gomti Nagar.

EMERGENCY OPDs ATTENDING TO LIMITED PATIENTS

KGMU is treating 100 patients in emergency OPD against 7000 odd patients who were treated on normal days.

In Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences 120 patients are being treated. On regular days 8000 patients are treated here.

Similarly 70 to 80 patients are being treated in Balrampur hospital against 4000 odd patients it would treat on normal days.

Civil hospital gets 5000 patients usually. Now, only about 50 are being treated in emergency OPD.

Private hospitals/clinics usually attend to 25000 patients. Now, the number is limited to little over 2000.

“Every day appointment is given over the telephone to ensure keeping in view only one patient comes every 25 minutes. Hence one patient and one attendant remain in OPD at any given time,” said Dr Adarsh Kumar a senior plastic surgeon in Indira Nagar.

For urgent operations the doctors have devised a new plan.

“After following all protocols we perform only one such operation on a day,” said Dr Vaibhav Khanna, a microvascular surgery expert.

“We have ensured that apart from all emergency departments the diagnostic facilities like CT, x-ray , MRI remain open 24x7 right through the lockdown period,” said Dr Mayank Somani, CEO Apollomedics super speciality hospital, in Alambagh.

The operations that can be postponed are being scheduled tentatively for April end. Many hospitals have offered their entire set up to the government to be used for isolating patients suffering from novel coronavirus. This move would help the state health department acquire them at five day notice.

THE ISSUES

Those suffering from chronic ailments of liver and kidney or respiratory problems aren’t able to get relief immediately for they require a doctor who is free to attend to them.

Not all hospitals have a big OPD area.

There are about 400 single doctor clinics too in the city with small waiting area. “Such doctors are either not seeing patients or doing so after prior appointment. A doctor who usually visits two to three clinics is going to just one these days,” said Dr PK Gupta, former president IMA Lucknow.

“This is causing trouble for many patients as against the 40000 odd patients who would turn up at various OPDs, at present only 10000 are getting medical treatment,” he said.

“Also those hospitals where the staff is not trained in maintaining highest sanitation protocol are avoiding to see patients in person,” said Dr Anoop Agrawal.

Doctors also said that majority hospitals do not have PPE kits for doctors or medical staff.