Festive season: PGI to wait and watch before reopening OPDs

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 18

Fearing a Covid case surge during the festive season, the PGI has decided to wait and watch the situation before resuming service at its OPDs.

During a review meeting on Thursday, UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore had asked the medical institutions in the city to try to restore normalcy in OPDs, since the burden of Covid cases had substantially come down.

In an official release today, Prof Jagat Ram, Director, PGI, stated, “We are fully conscious of our responsibility towards non-Covid patients and are keen on opening physical OPDs. Considering a footfall of over 10,000 at our OPDs on a routine day before Covid, it is worth waiting for some more time till it becomes amply clear that the worst of the pandemic is over and the curve has actually been flattened. Any hasty decision may backfire, amounting to risking precious lives.”

He added, “In view of the festive season and with almost every service and business having been resumed, a surge in Covid numbers cannot be ruled out.”

The physical OPD service in gynaecology, radiotherapy and ophthalmology departments have been functional even during the pandemic. To avoid congregation of patients in the OPDs, the institute is ramping up the infrastructure required to ensure social distancing once the OPDs open.

“Consultations are on with various stakeholders to work out the modalities to reopen the physical OPDs through staggered steps so as to ensure the safety of the patients visiting the hospital,” said Prof Jagat Ram.

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