KARACHI: With authorities trying to confront the coronavirus challenge, Karachi is facing another health crisis as many thousands of patients affected by other ailments are left without regular treatment thanks to the closure of outpatient departments (OPDs) of both public and personal hospitals, it emerged on Tuesday.
Even many emergency departments are reluctant to offer treatment to patients out of fear, panic and severe shortage of private protective equipment (PPE) among doctors and health staff.
The situation emerged almost fortnight ago when the Sindh government announced its social-distancing campaign with orders to shut educational institutions for the subsequent two months also as shutting shopping malls, markets, major business centers, parks, cinemas, and other public places. This had pushed the hospitals both public and personal sector to scale back their regular operations, which afterward finally came to almost an entire closure. A large number of patients affected by other diseases are expecting their regular treatment When contacted, a health department official said that there was no advisory from the govt to hospitals to suspend their regular operations.
However, the official agreed that the practice was going unchecked leading to the hardship of many thousands of individuals affected by several other diseases and lots of them were high-risk patients, who required frequent medical consultation and examination. Hospitals are only advised to follow the rules for his or her doctors and doctors to stay their regular business as was common but unfortunately, things aren't what we expected,h said the official without mentioning any particular reason for such negative trends.
Experts express concerns :
Health experts and professionals have shown concern and advise immediate measures both from the govt and therefore the institutions also. “Unfortunately, things [emerging within the wake of COVID-19 pandemic] has stirred a state of panic among healthcare professionals and hospitals across the country,” Dr. M. Shamvil Ashraf of the Indus Health depart Network told.
“Almost all outpatient departments are closed and lots of emergency departments are reluctant to offer treatment out of fear that a patient may be a COVID-positive one. “There may be a widespread fear among healthcare professionals of contracting the coronavirus infection. This concern is genuine to an outsized extent but there are guidelines for cover to stop transmission,” he added. He said that doctors and doctors needed to require all possible measures to guard themselves while handling suspected cases but hospitals couldn't deny care due to panic and fear.
“Who are going to be liable for the health deterioration or complications, which may be fixed through an easy regular treatment, during tolerant diabetes or hypertension when not entertained simply because of fear?” Dr. Ashraf asked. Major public and personal hospitals within the city have even closed their emergencies and people hospitals operating their emergency departments haven't been taking patients or providing them the other treatment. The regular appointments of senior consultants and physicians are canceled and therefore the patients are told to contact later without giving any specific period of time. A large number of individuals,
who are showing respect for doctors and doctors for enjoying a front-line role, also question the professional approach of these avoiding seeing their regular patients out of fear. The people affected by the present situation and therefore the health professionals find the govt role crucial within the emerging crisis for the patients of other diseases, urging the authorities to supply the doctors all due to PPE then confirm they're doing their jobs. “The doctors who are treating or handling coronavirus patients do a particularly great service and that they got to be protected,” said Dr Qaiser Sajjad of the Pakistan Medical Association.
“We are appealing both the provincial and federal governments to supply PPE to all or any those doctors exposed to the virus thanks to their professional contribution. Once they're equipped and guarded, they might not show any fear to satisfy the challenge.”
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