Hospitals advise people to minimise hospital visits

PANKAJ DHUNGEL
GANGTOK: Seeing the rush of patients at New STNM Hospital following the partial relaxation of lockdown on Monday and Tuesday, hospital authorities have appealed to the people to minimize their visits to the hospital for minor ailments to ensure social distancing is followed at all public places including the hospital.
Sharing that the patient count raised by at least double the usual number, New STNM hospital medical superintendent Dr. Passang Bhutia said the hospital has been getting increased OPD cases during these two days.
“With the relaxation, there is double rush and it hampers our social distancing measures. I appeal people to avoid coming to hospitals for minor cases. For in patients, we appeal the visitors and attendants to minimise the number to avoid crowding. There should be one attendant for one patient and if people fail to adhere to it, we will ask police to take control of the situation,” he said.
According to official records, the STNM hospital OPD which registered around 219 patients on April 18 saw a spurt on April 20 with 491 OPD patients registered.
A similar situation unfolded at the Central Referral Hospital at 5th Mile here when a patient’s relative allegedly abused and misbehaved with an on duty nurse triggering protests by the nurses on Tuesday afternoon.
“The nurses have every right to protest when a situation like that develops. The patients and their attendants must not forget that these nurses along with other medical practitioners have been catering health care service to the State all throughout the lockdown. Now, there is a lot of rush with the lockdown being partially lifted. It is also understood that patients had to wait many days to get treatment,” said CRH officials.
The CRH has already issued an advisory telling people to minimise their social visits to the hospital adding that patients for minor issues which do not need doctor's attention in a hospital or admittance may not visit the hospital.
“Unless it is a serious case of emergency or flu like symptom, we will not be taking in patients. We had placed a special request for curtailing the patient's visitors. The same has not been adhered to by the public resulting in most of the chaos,” added the CRH officials.