<p>The BBMP has issued guidelines to private healthcare providers, asking them not to refuse emergency and essential medical care.</p>.<p>In his letter to private medical facilities, BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar pointed out that ailments like cardiac arrest, pregnancy-related complications, renal and pulmonary disorders, diabetes, conditions leading to multiple organ failure or the ones requiring surgical intervention can cause death, if left unattended.</p>.<p>“Hospitals must continue to treat such patients with adequate staff and follow necessary protocols,” Kumar said, adding that suitable PPEs shall be provided to healthcare and supporting staff according to the risk exposure level.</p>.<p>The commissioner also urged hospitals not to postpone emergency surgical procedures or unnecessarily refer to other hospitals unless the case requires tertiary care or intervention.</p>.<p>“Laboratory investigations and diagnostic imaging must continue without any disruption, otherwise it may lead to difficulty in assessment and treatment of patients requiring emergency care,” the BBMP commissioner said.</p>.<p>He asked hospitals to enforce social distancing in the lab waiting areas, while also urging them to continue blood bank services. The commissioner discouraged hospitals from holding regular health checks at outpatient areas, unless the situation warrants medical attention.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Dedicated OPDs must </strong></p>.<p>Dedicated OPDs for patients showing flu symptoms must be organised in such a way that others do not come into contact with such patients.</p>.<p>“The entry and exit points for such OPDs must be separate,” he said. “Patient attenders should be given triple-layered masks. Clinics with limited areas must refer influenza like illness (ILI) cases to fever clinics set up by the government.”</p>.<p>If hospitals without dedicated COVID-19 wards receive Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) patients, they must stabilise the case, collect the history, evaluate the signs/symptoms and send samples to the lab testing in line with the protocol.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-lockdown-in-focus-as-indias-tally-goes-past-5800-global-toll-crosses-85000-817763.html?_ga=2.86637979.2073454908.1586524363-2033073023.1584952646" target="_blank">For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here</a></strong></p>.<p>“If the test results are positive, the patient must be shifted to the dedicated COVID-19 hospital,” he said.</p>.<p>Kumar has also made it mandatory for hospitals to notify suspected COVID-19, SARI and pneumonia cases to the BBMP.</p>.<p>He clarified that private hospital staff are also eligible for a accident insurance scheme of Rs 50 lakh, covering loss of life due to Covid-19, and accidental death on account of Covid-19-related duty under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan package.</p>
<p>The BBMP has issued guidelines to private healthcare providers, asking them not to refuse emergency and essential medical care.</p>.<p>In his letter to private medical facilities, BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar pointed out that ailments like cardiac arrest, pregnancy-related complications, renal and pulmonary disorders, diabetes, conditions leading to multiple organ failure or the ones requiring surgical intervention can cause death, if left unattended.</p>.<p>“Hospitals must continue to treat such patients with adequate staff and follow necessary protocols,” Kumar said, adding that suitable PPEs shall be provided to healthcare and supporting staff according to the risk exposure level.</p>.<p>The commissioner also urged hospitals not to postpone emergency surgical procedures or unnecessarily refer to other hospitals unless the case requires tertiary care or intervention.</p>.<p>“Laboratory investigations and diagnostic imaging must continue without any disruption, otherwise it may lead to difficulty in assessment and treatment of patients requiring emergency care,” the BBMP commissioner said.</p>.<p>He asked hospitals to enforce social distancing in the lab waiting areas, while also urging them to continue blood bank services. The commissioner discouraged hospitals from holding regular health checks at outpatient areas, unless the situation warrants medical attention.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Dedicated OPDs must </strong></p>.<p>Dedicated OPDs for patients showing flu symptoms must be organised in such a way that others do not come into contact with such patients.</p>.<p>“The entry and exit points for such OPDs must be separate,” he said. “Patient attenders should be given triple-layered masks. Clinics with limited areas must refer influenza like illness (ILI) cases to fever clinics set up by the government.”</p>.<p>If hospitals without dedicated COVID-19 wards receive Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) patients, they must stabilise the case, collect the history, evaluate the signs/symptoms and send samples to the lab testing in line with the protocol.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-lockdown-in-focus-as-indias-tally-goes-past-5800-global-toll-crosses-85000-817763.html?_ga=2.86637979.2073454908.1586524363-2033073023.1584952646" target="_blank">For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here</a></strong></p>.<p>“If the test results are positive, the patient must be shifted to the dedicated COVID-19 hospital,” he said.</p>.<p>Kumar has also made it mandatory for hospitals to notify suspected COVID-19, SARI and pneumonia cases to the BBMP.</p>.<p>He clarified that private hospital staff are also eligible for a accident insurance scheme of Rs 50 lakh, covering loss of life due to Covid-19, and accidental death on account of Covid-19-related duty under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan package.</p>