‘Pregnant patients to benefit most from opening of OPDs ’

LUCKNOW : Outpatient departments (OPDs) will re-start at all government community health centres (CHCs), primary health centres (PHCs) and district hospitals from Friday. All health centres specialising in child birth will also resume functioning.

“We are ready. General physicians, ENT and ophthalmologists, and surgeons will be available at the various OPD chambers from morning,” said Dr SC Sundriyal, director, Civil Hospital, a prominent government hospital in the city. The OPD and other services at government hospitals were closed for two months due to the rise in Covid-19 cases. Hospitals will now run OPDs from 8 am to 2 pm.

“If there is excessive footfall of patients we can extend the OPD timings beyond 2 pm,” said Sundriyal.

The BRD Hospital in Mahanagar will start ophthalmology, ENT and surgery OPD and so will Balrampur hospital too. Patients after registration will have to go through screening to check if they have any Covid-19 symptoms. Patients will be required to sanitise hands and wear a mask while in the OPD.

There are 19 community health centres and six district level hospitals in the state capital. “Opening of the OPDs will particularly be a big relief to women. Many women, particularly those who are pregnant, had been delaying their examination as they had few options (of hospitals) to visit during the period that restrictions were imposed,” said Dr Amita Shukla, senior gynaecologist, Dr SC Trivedi Memorial Trust Hospital.

The Lok Bandhu Hospital is running post-Covid-19 clinic and ward along with emergency services. This hospital is also being developed as a nodal women and child hospital considering that a possible third wave is expected to affect children more.

Hospitals will also provide pathology, CT scan and X-ray facilities like earlier.