Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 13: With SKIMS hospital stopping all routine admissions and surgeries, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today said that patients will suffer immensely due to the closure of these services.
In a statement issued here, President DAK, Dr Nisar ul Hassan said while it is critical to contain Covid resurgence, it is vitally important to take care of non-COVID patients as well.
“SKIMS hospital has ordered the closure of all routine surgeries and admissions from April 7 because of the resurgence of COVID-19 cases. This could be detrimental for patients,” DAK President said.
He said that cancer patients can progress in no time and their disease will spread if their surgeries are delayed. “Even delaying simple surgery like gall bladder stone removal could lead to major issues in the long run,” he said.
Dr Nisar said that most chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart, lung, liver and kidney disease require monitoring and drug dose modifications, and if not done they can land up in complications.
“Hundreds of patients every day are referred to this premier health institution for advanced care. Their fate hangs by a fine thread now,” he added.
He said that while we fight the novel coronavirus, we must ensure that the price to be paid is not with the lives of non-COVID patients. “We need to implement strategies by which we can manage both COVID and non-COVID patients.”
Dr Nisar impressed that the hospitals should have separate wards with dedicated ICU’s for corona patients so that there is no disruption to the care of non-Covid patients.
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