At last 8000 surgeries in Jammu and Kashmir have been postponed due to the lockdown imposed to arrest the Coronavirus pandemic across the country.
Trouble is being faced by those patients, who were scheduled to have surgery in various hospitals of the Union Territory. At least 8000 non-urgent surgeries across the government and private hospitals in the state have been postponed during the past one month.
Most surgeries in Jammu and Kashmir are performed at the Government Medical College (GMC) and their supporting hospitals. There an average of hundred surgeries, small and big, every day in these hospitals. In addition to the surgery department, there are also surgeries in ENT, ophthalmic, gynecology, orthopedics and cardio vascular departments.
Dental operations are done once a week. Similarly, surgery is done in these departments in Srinagar Medical College and allied hospitals, Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences.
Operations are also performed in districts, sub-district hospitals and community health centers under the Directorate of Health Jammu and Kashmir.
Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital are also hold routine surgeries. Officials of the Department of Health and Medical Education say that if a similar situation persists for a month, there will be problems in the coming days.
In view of the situation, the administration has decided that the patients whose operation has been postponed, will be given priority as soon as the hospital resume their working. Surgery for a new patient will be scheduled for a later date.
Emergency is getting 50 percent surgery these days: Emergency surgery is being done in other hospitals including GMC but there is reduction of nearly 50 percent as compared to normal days. A senior doctor in the surgery department at GMC said that one of the reasons for this is the reduction in road accidents. Many people are not even able to reach hospitals, he said.
Special designated Covid-19 hospitals have been completely closed for normal surgeries. These hospitals are closed for treatment of other diseases. These include the Gandhi Nagar Hospital.