In lockdown, Srinagar admn provides free dialysis, medicines to non-COVID patients

Samaan Lateef
Tribune News Service
Srinagar May 10 

As the COVID-19 outbreak halted public movement and sent healthcare services in deep disarray in Kashmir, authorities in Srinagar stepped up to ensure no non-COVID patient in the city suffers due to lack of treatment during the lockdown.

City authorities established a telemedicine centre and roped in 13 private dialysis centres to provide free dialysis to its patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD).

“We have been able to provide 890 free dialyses to our city patients. Also, 263 patients were provided free life-saving drugs and 181 diabetic patients received drugs at their homes,” said deputy commissioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal.

A fleet of 10 vehicles and a team of 12 health professionals have been deputed round-the-clock for addressing issues related to health emergencies, demands related to dialysis, chemotherapy, diabetes and other such ailments.

Authorities have been paying to the private dialysis centres regularly to prevent patients from being inconvenienced.

“Expenses of dialysis are borne by the district administration. Most of these centres are working with the administration on a no-profit-no-loss basis while dedicated transport facility is made available by the administration,” he said.

Dialysis physician Dr Masood ul Hassan, who runs Well Care Dialysis Centre at Soura, said the initiative of Srinagar administration to provide free dialysis to its residents should be replicated in other districts.

“It came as a major relief to CKD patients particularly those belonging to economically-weak families. I performed nearly 110 dialyses and being paid for that by the district administration,” Hassan said.

At least 2,892 patients were assisted treatment and medicines through call centre helpline established to cater to non-COVID health emergencies requiring special attention amid lockdown.

Even 51 chemotherapy patients and 12 injured were provided free transport to the hospital and back home.

The initiative aimed at attending non-CoVID health issues has gained a greater response from the public, Iqbal said.

He said the dialysis helpdesk has generated a database of all patients in need of dialysis and other kidney ailments which has been mapped for prompt response by nearest teams.

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