Hospitals resume OPDS with limitations

NEW DELHI: After about two months, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is planning to restart its out-patient clinics (OPD) on Wednesday with restricted consultations, according to the hospital administration.

The clinics were shut on March 24, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. AIIMS witnessed a footfall of at least 10,000 patients who visited the OPD clinics each day.

The opening of OPD is a step towards the reopening of medical facilities for people who were suffering as most of the hospitals were just checking covid patients. Besides, AIIMS, major hospitals in the national Capital like Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML), GTB Hospital have already opened their OPD services but with limitations.

An official from Safdarjung Hospital said that for follow up cases, the OPD is open. “We have functioning OPD as of now,” said the official.

Meanwhile, at RML as well the OPD services are functional. However, many patients have complained that they had to struggle for a simple checkup in the hospitals.

Irfan, hails from Kabir Nagar and lost his life on May 16, as he was suffering from cancer. “We went to GTB but were recommended to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre. However, after some intervention we took him to Delhi State Cancer Institute,” said Mohammed, Irfan’s brother.

According to the family, when Delhi State Cancer Institute shut down after few positive cases were found there, they had nowhere to go. “There was no alternative way where my brother could get checkedup. My brother died due to negligence,” said Mohammed.

Many cancer patients were left on the roads after all major hospitals shut their services due to the pandemic. Many women were turned back whose delivery was due. A patient who went for dialysis twice a week also faced issues as he was asked not to visit.

“There were many positive patients in the hospital, so I myself preferred not to go and visit the hospital,” he told the correspondent.

Meanwhile, private hospitals have also opened OPD services, but prefer online consultations. Fortis Hospital, which has a chain all over

Delhi-ncr, has said the services are operational. “However, management is actively asking the patients not to come to the physical OPDS but avail the services of e-consultations,” said a spokesperson from the hospital.

Venkateshwar Hospital at Dwarka has also opened its OPD services full time. However, many private practitioners are still skeptical in opening their clinics. A doctor who has a private clinic at Dwarka said that they are still not comfortable opening their clinics. “I see about 50 to 60 patients per day, and am also the sole person. I think, I will weight my options and then take a decision,” she said.

The recent ease in restrictions post lockdown 4.0, will be a relief to many patients who had been struggling as hospitals had refused to check them.