Post COVID-19 situation arising out in Europe and America forced India also in taking proactive decisions in the interest of the nation and one among them was suspension of routine OPDs and all surgeries. Whole emphasis was to brace up for the worst medical conditions based on the situation in most developed countries. Our UT also made frantic efforts to immediately establish dedicated COVID hospitals for any contingency as thousands of residents of UT were expected to return back from pilgrimage, students, as well as those working outside. In such a highly assumptive policy decision over two dozen hospitals of Kashmir got designated as COVID only hospitals. In some districts not only Government hospitals but even private hospitals have been turned into COVID only hospitals leading to virtually no medical facility for other normal or critical patients. Medical fraternity also raised repeated alarm over non availability of PPEs. But practically situation has not turned out to be that bad as majority of students and other persons returning from foreign countries were quarantined at Delhi itself. Right now situation is that we have only 434 active positive patients in whole Kashmir and some districts even don’t have double digit patients like Ganderbal which has only one, Pulwama six and Kulgam nine only. Moreover as per medical expert majority of these active patients require no hospitalization except strict isolation and few stipulated ICMR guidelines which can be easily followed at home also. Only four percent of all active patients require specialized care at hospitals. Another fact is that this virus has less mortality rate in Asia and almost thirty percent recovery rate till now in India. Fact is except Lal Ded Maternity Hospital in Srinagar all other COVID only hospitals, even causalities, are without patients out of fear of Corona as a result on one hand patients are suffering in absence of specialized medical facilities and on the other hand majority of doctors and other staff members are just getting salaries for practically no work.
Follow our WhatsApp channel