Karnal hospital saw surge in emergency surgeries

LOCKDOWN EFFECT: 816 surgeries performed from April to July; 393 last yr

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, August 14

The Karnal Civil Hospital witnessed a significant rise in emergency surgeries during the Covid-induced lockdown in comparison with last year.

As per information gathered by The Tribune, 816 emergency surgeries were performed from April to July, the period when the lockdown remained in force. In the corresponding period last year, the number of emergency surgeries stood at 393.

Besides, 670 deliveries were performed through the Cesarean section in the Civil Hospital during this period in comparison with just 50 deliveries in the corresponding period last year.

This April, 149 emergency surgeries were conducted against 97 last April. In May, 195 surgeries were performed against 109 last year. The number stood at 200 for June this year while, for last year, it was 76. As for July, 272 surgeries were performed against 111 last year.

Civil Hospital officials attribute the surge to two things: one, most private hospitals had put off emergency surgeries during the lockdown and, two, the Civil Hospital was functioning as a non-Covid facility.

Besides local patients, people from nearby districts and Western Uttar Pradesh got their surgeries performed in the Karnal Civil Hospital, officials said.

The reason for the increase in deliveries at the Civil Hospital was that the gynaecology department at Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College (KCGMC) had “stopped” non-Covid activities. All pregnant women were referred to the Civil Hospital.

Dr Ashwani Ahuja, Principal Medical Officer (PMO). “The Civil Hospital witnessed an increase in emergency surgeries as it was functional for non-Covid activities during the lockdown.”

As a downside effect, the hospital, however, postponed its planned surgeries during the lockdown. “I came to the Civil Hospital for a knee surgery in April, but I was asked to wait till the situation normalised,” said 60-year-old Darshan Singh, a city resident.

Meanwhile, the Director General, Health Services, has directed all Civil Surgeons and PMOs to reinstate routine surgical and medical procedure. “We have received a letter from the Director General, Health Services, to start the routine surgical and medical procedure by following standard protocol in the wake of the Covid pandemic. We will restart performing routine surgeries soon,” the PMO said.

BOX

Surge in numbers

Month 2020 2019

April 149 97

May 195 109

June 200 76

July 272 111