Institute to deal with critical Coronavirus patients only
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Apr 9: Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, (SKIMS), Soura is drifting more towards dealing with the pandemic of COVID-19, it has put the rest of the patients in a tight spot.
The administration has focused all its resources for the COVID treatment while as it has side-lined the non-COVID cases such as those suffering from cancer or those who need immediate transplants.
Sources told Excelsior that as the hospital is focused on COVID cases, the other patient care has got badly hit.
Excelsior has learned that while the SKIMS is already facing a dearth of oncologists, its administration has put several such oncologists on the COVID-19 roaster, which is ultimately going to add to the already existing strain.
All these doctors, at the time of filing of this report were on the mentioned roasters. Excelsior has also learnt that these Oncologists had met the Director SKIMS and raised the issue; however, they were told that the matter will be looked into.
As of now, amid COVID-19 crisis, the SKIMS is offering almost all the services such as quarantine, isolation testing and treatment to those affected by the pandemic, however, the large chunk of rest of the patients have got nowhere to go.
The sources told this reporter that no special arrangement has been made in order to take care of patients who are suffering from other critical illnesses.
“Due to the COVID scare people are not visiting the OPDs and the same have been shut; the SKIMS should be admitting only critical COVID-19 patients and not everyone,” the source said.
As per the SOPs, the SKIMS falls in the Level-3 hospitals which is meant to admit and manage severely sick COVID19 cases only. However, what seems to be happening on the ground is the total opposite.
Excelsior has also learned that the Urology OPD has also been shut, while as the routine admissions are also stopped. What is the height is that the hospital has also stopped the transplant work, leaving the patient in agony.
With SKIMS turning out to into a full-fledged COVID-19 hospital, with no plan of dealing with other non-COVID ailments, people are afraid of visiting the hospital including those suffering from critical diseases.
Medical Superintendent, SKIMS Dr Farooq Jan told Excelsior that the OPD is open and the doctors are attending to the patients. He however, accepted that the transplants are not being carried out as of now; while as other emergency procedures are on
“The oncologists were put in as a part from of the contingency plan and that they have been dropped out of that now,” he said.
He also said that there are no OPD Urology going on as of now, but the doctors are examining such patients who come for the consultation in the wards.
He also said that as of now, the hospital is catering to the needs of 400-500 patients per day in the OPD as well as in the emergency.
He said that Cancer care at SKIMS is up and running, however, the halting the surgeries and other procedures is in accordance with the Central Guidelines that have been issued.
Meanwhile, Government has designated SKIMS Soura, SMHS, Super Specialty Hospital, Chest Diseases Hospital, GB Pant Hospital in Kashmir division for managing severely sick COVID19 cases in order to avoid the duplication of efforts that are put in.
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