Covid-19 patients in J&K encounter difficulties in finding newly established facilities

The recent decision of J&K administration to allow admissions in tertiary-care hospitals by referrals only has put Covid-19 patients in difficulty as they find themselves lost between newly established networks of hospitals designated for Covid-19 in absence of awareness and guidance.

On 28 April, the J&K government ordered for enforcing admission in tertiary care hospitals of Srinagar by referral only. The step, the government order said, was needed in view of the overburdening of speciality hospitals with cases that could be managed at district or sub-district level hospitals. However, no step was taken to publicise the new arrangement.

As a result, patients continue to beeline outside tertiary care hospitals in Srinagar with the hope of finding specialists for Covid-19 there. “We have hundreds of patients reporting to us directly every day,” a doctor at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar said adding that none of them is aware that the hospital cannot admit a patient directly now.

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Medicos have expressed the urgent need for making arrangements for consultation and intervention of Covid-19 cases across every area. “People don’t know what to do in case they test positive,” the doctor added.

On Thursday, the J&K government issued another order to establish Triage Centers for Covid-19 patients. SKIMS Medical College Hospital Bemina and NIT Campus Hazratbal in Srinagar were announced as “first point of contact” for patients.

This, as per the order, is meant to streamline and optimise the use of beds in six tertiary care hospitals of Srinagar – SKIMS Soura, SMHS Hospital, Chest Diseases Hospital, Kashmir Nursing Home, JLNM Hospital and PHC Chanapora. Other districts have been ordered to take similar steps.

However, without publicising these arrangements, doctors feel, patients will continue to be tossed between hospitals.