Covid surge: Footfall in OPDs of various hosps dip by 30% since Dec

MP  | 12 Jan 2022 | KOLKATA: Various government hospitals and medical colleges have seen a dip in outpatient department (OPD) footfalls by nearly 30 per cent since December last week due to a steep rise in Covid infected cases. 

Some hospitals have restricted planned surgeries as a large number of doctors, nursing professionals and health workers have been infected with Covid. 

"OPD attendances dropped by nearly 30 per cent in some of the state-run medical colleges in Kolkata over a span of two weeks. This is only because of the rise in Covid cases. People are trying to avoid hospitals unless it is an emergency," a senior official of a medical college in the city said. 

Many non-Covid patients now prefer not to visit an OPD or a doctor's chamber in fear of being infected. 

Many consulting doctors in various departments of the hospitals are currently in isolation after being infected with Covid. 

Some of the medical colleges have also restricted patient-care services besides the planned surgeries. 

According to sources, only some elderly non-Covid patients, who are requiring urgent treatment are visiting the OPDs. 

Calcutta Medical College and Hospital and National Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata have restricted their planned surgeries for the time being. 

Even most of the Covid infected patients are also undergoing treatment at home isolation as a result the hospital admission rate has been much lesser than the figure which was recorded during the previous wave of Covid. 

The Bengal government has also set up a robust online system and opened separate helpline numbers so that the infected people can avail treatment by calling on those numbers. 

The online services extended by the state Health department have seen unprecedented success so far. 

On an average basis over 1,500 people get telemedicine consultations on a daily basis. 

The dedicated telemedicine number is 033-23576001 while the direct Covid helpline number is 1800313444222. 

Patients also can download Covid telemedicine apps from Google store. 

The ambulance service number is 033-40902929 while Kolkata Municipal Corporation has also introduced a number for ambulance service ~ 2219-7201. 

Some private hospitals also are giving an emphasis on the online consultations like what happened during the previous wave. Digital consultant services were introduced by these hospitals earlier so that patients can avail treatment online without visiting the hospitals. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/covid-surge-footfall-in-opds-of-various-hosps-dip-by-30-since-dec-464780