Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Sundararajan said that JIPMER officials had assured that needy patients would not be denied treatment due to COVID-19 related restrictions on outpatient (OP) visits.
After meeting with JIPMER director Rakesh Agrawal at Raj Niwas, the Lt Governor said that he had specifically asked to ensure that measures to decongest overcrowding do not come in the way of providing emergency and essential services to the needy.
Earlier, JIPMER officials said that a large number of doctors were infected and this was one of the reasons behind restricting OP’s visits. To reduce the risk of transmission for those going to the outpatient department (OPD) for consultation, JIPMER last week introduced teleconsultation services in each department and limited the number of in-person OP consultations to 50 pre-registered patients. had decided to do.
‘Cancel system’
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy criticized JIPMER’s decision to limit healthcare services to already registered patients. As the emphasis on online registration for appointments would lead to essential medical care beyond scores of rural poor, from the region taking refuge in JIPMER, he urged the administration to scrap the system and provide health services to all the needy those who come to the Institute. whether they have registered or not.
JIPMER, in a press note, said that it is following the directions issued by the Lieutenant Governor in the interest of the common man that OPD services in JIPMER should continue in “letter and spirit”.
‘fake message’
Circulating recent messages in some news outlets and social media that JIPMER has falsely termed OPD services, Mr. Agarwal said that all OPDs are taking care of patients who have taken prior appointments. Additionally, doctors are providing treatment through teleconsultation and prescribing medicines through e-prescription to many others, thereby eliminating the need for in-person visits.
Reiterating that the decision to reduce the number of people attending the OPD was taken to ensure the safety of patients and prevent omicron spread, JIPMER said the restrictions were short-term in compliance with the social distancing norms of the Government of India. There were solutions. Normally it is not possible to implement these criteria with 10,000 new patient registrations in the institute. Institute officials are regularly reviewing the COVID-19 situation and restrictions will be lifted as new cases subside.
JIPMER appealed to those people who have minor ailments to get treatment from doctors in their own city or neighborhood instead of coming to JIPMER. Patients requiring monthly supply of medicines for chronic diseases are requested to obtain the same from government health centers in their locality or generic pharmacies like Jan Aushadhi. Patients with more serious ailments can always make a prior appointment on teleconsultation so that they can be looked after immediately upon arrival at JIPMER and do not have to spend long hours in the overcrowded OPDs.
JIPMER continues to provide all emergency services while performing all necessary surgical and other non-COVID procedures.
Despite many healthcare workers and their families being infected, cancer and kidney failure patients continue to be in intensive care and treatment, Jipmer said.
,