Mumbai: Civic hospitals shift focus to other ailments

KEM Hospital's general OPD was open throughout the pandemic. File pic

As the daily count of COVID-19 cases in the city hovers around 1,000, the civic body is shifting its focus on non-COVID patients at major civic-run hospitals. Officials, however, say that they have seen a low footfall of patients as apprehensive Mumbaikars are reluctant to visit recently opened non-COVID outpatient departments (OPD) at KEM and Nair hospitals. "The patient count is low as people are apprehensive about contracting COVID-19," said Dr Shailesh Mohite, dean of Nair hospital.

Over the past few months, BYL Nair Hospital was a dedicated COVID facility and KEM hospital was treating critical COVID patients. In the two weeks since it began, Nair hospital hasn't seen more than 20 patients a day. "Currently, we get 15-20 patients daily in the surgery OPD. In the first week, there were two to four daily. The patient count is low as people are apprehensive about contracting COVID-19," said Dr Shailesh Mohite, dean of Nair hospital.

Nair hospital's general OPD opened two weeks ago

While the general OPD at KEM hospital remained open throughout the pandemic, it saw few patients. Currently, the general OPD sees around 30-40 patients daily as opposed to 200 from earlier.

Lack of mobility a factor

Suresh Kakani, the additional municipal commissioner, said that monsoon-related diseases and other urgent medical issues that were kept on hold will now be the focus at civic hospitals. "People are generally scared to visit major hospitals and we have seen more response at dispensaries and peripheral hospitals. However, there is less mobility in the city as well since trains are not running. Sion hospital will open the OPD later this week," he said. Kakani added that to ensure there is no mixing of COVID and non-COVID patients, all civic hospitals will have two different OPDs and a triage area for suspected patients.

Also Read: With Mumbai's COVID graph steady, BMC turns focus on key western suburbs

Sion hospital's general OPD will resume this week

Cooper Hospital, however, has seen a growing number of non-COVID patients. "Cooper hospital was the last to start treating COVID patients and people may feel safer going there. Earlier there used to be 1,000 patients daily. Numbers are gradually coming up again. We have restricted the number to around 250 patients daily," said an official from Cooper hospital. Apart from non-COVID patients, KEM hospital is also set to open a separate OPD for post-COVID complications.

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