IMA denies claims of suspending OPD services by private hospitals

Our Correspondent

Jalandhar, April 4

Taking cognisance of reports that private hospitals have shut OPD services during the present crisis, the state unit of the IMA alleged it to be a false propaganda against private hospitals and said the IMA had voluntarily extended the support to the state government to shoulder the responsibility of fighting Covid- 19.

“The state IMA has been discouraging OPD services to maintain social distancing. However, it does not mean that private doctors and hospitals are running away from their responsibility of providing healthcare facilities to patients. Private doctors and hospitals have consistently been providing free of cost healthcare facility to the public through telephone and WhatsApp,” said Dr Paramjit Maan, state secretary, IMA.

He said only those patients were being asked to visit clinics and hospitals who could not be treated through telemedicine. He urged people not to be misled by the false propaganda as such misconceptions in public mind would dampen the spirit and morale of doctors and paramedical staff.

He added that the doctors and paramedical staff at private hospitals had been dealing emergencies while keeping all precautions to check spread of coronavirus.

He said the DMC (Cardiac Centre), Ludhiana, had provided consultation and telemedicine facility to as many as 20,175 cardiac patients so far during the lockdown period.

Besides, ‘Covid-19 app’ for extending telemedicine facility has also been prepared for the convenience of the public.

“Doctors, so far, have provided facility of telemedicine to over 1,000 patients on this app. A list of 570 doctors and the available facility of about more than 300 ventilators have also been provided to the government and the administrative authorities concerned in Nawanshahr district to tackle any emergent situation,” Dr Navjot Dahiya, president, IMA, Punjab.

He said he, along with his team of doctors, today visited Pathlawa village of Banga district, the epicentre of Coronavirus in the state.

“The IMA team of Nawanshahr is working there and providing regular services to villagers and giving free of cost medicines,” he added.

He said the doctors also interacted with people and sensitised them to precautions and preventive measures to check the spread of the dreaded coronavirus.

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