Pune Doctors Appeal: Non-Covid-19 Patients Should Come Forward For Their Pending Treatment
Pune, 22 July 2021: Pandemic has impacted the treatment of non-Covid-19 patients. But with the decline in coronavirus cases, private hospitals in Pune are seeing an increase in the number of non- coronavirus patients. Hospitals are also reopening beds for non-coronavirus patients as the number of coronavirus cases has seen a major decline.
During recent times many had cancelled or postponed/rescheduled their treatment plan due to the anxiety related to healthcare facilities access amidst the pandemic. But, with the decline in cases, patients have started coming to the private hospitals in order take to start their pending treatment.
Dr. Reema Kashiva, a senior endocrinologist from Noble Hospital, Pune, said, “During the recent lockdown, people who had canceled or postponed their appointment, had switched to home healthcare services. Many patients had medically managed their condition at home with the doctor’s advice. Now, with the decline in cases, people have started coming forward for their pending treatment. The OPD numbers at our hospitals are slowly getting back to pre-coronavirus days. Many cancer patients had stopped their chemotherapy and other cancer treatment. But such delays can have a negative impact on their treatment. All patients should understand that they should not delay the treatment now.”
The healthcare systems can no longer afford to focus exclusively on COVID-19, and the experts are pointing out that non-coronavirus patients should get safe and timely treatment. Though the COVID-19 containment is critical but healthcare for others can no longer be ignored.
Dr. Parag Sancheti, Chairman and orthopedic surgeon from Sancheti Hospital, Pune, said, “Orthopaedic surgeries have been greatly impacted by the emergence of COVID -19 in India. In an orthopedic hospital, the majority of the work comes from elective surgeries. Like for example, in Sancheti Hospital from Pune, 50 to 70 percent is elective work. For elective surgeries, it is mostly done as per the convenience of the surgeon and the patient. While all the emergency orthopedic surgeries need to be done immediately, elective surgeries can be postponed. During the current pandemic situation, we had dropped many elective surgeries and we were postponing them. Patients for elective surgeries had dropped and they were hesitant to come to the hospital.”
He added, “But, with the decline in the number of Covid-19 cases, the pending elective surgeries are also picking up. I would appeal to all the patients who have postponed their orthopedic surgery to now visit their hospital and get it done. Further delay in treatment might cause complications.”
