Coronavirus: HIV patients' families can collect medicines from ART amid the rise of COVID-19 cases

All HIV patients who are on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) in ART and Link ART centers (LAC) in the state have been advised to send proxy (family member) to collect medicine from centers for two months. All ART centers / LAC centers will follow multi-month dispensation of medicines, a statement from the state health department said.

"Patients are requested to visit hospitals only in case of symptoms or in emergency. Call health helpline 104 for guidance," the statement added.

"New COVID-19 helpline numbers 080-46848600 and 080-66692000 are now functional apart from the existing helpline number 104. This helpline is being setup with the help of NASSCOM, Hinduja Global Solutions, and Tata Consultancy Services. In both these helpline numbers, one senior doctor and two PG medical students are available throughout the day to assist the volunteers in order to answer the queries of citizens in a more knowledgeable way," Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said at a press conference here on Thursday.

All dialysis centers have been advised to follow strict universal precautions, and avoid crowding and receive patients on prefixed schedule. All dialysis patients should report for symptoms and call health helpline 104 for guidance. All patients who have undergone organ transplantation and who are currently on immunosuppressive therapy have to stay indoors and take necessary precautions and call health helpline 104 for guidance.

Only the sick and patients requiring emergency care must visit hospitals for treatment at medical college hospitals/district hospitals/super specialty hospitals and autonomous institutions. All other patients with mild illness which requires outpatient care / follow up care / elective cases including dental patients should not visit hospitals for the next two weeks or till further order to prevent crowding and spread of COVID-19, the department said. "Private hospitals are hereby instructed to take similar steps to prevent the crowding and halt the spread of COVID-19," the statement added.