Hosps reach out to elderly patients, provide care at home
LUCKNOW: Hospitals are reaching out to patients stuck at home and in need of medical/personal care, diagnostics and medicines.
Every morning, doctors of Healthcity hospital conduct patient counselling via video call while at least half a dozen teams of caregivers from Aastha Geriatric Centre go to homes of elderly citizens living alone in Lucknow. They help them bathe, conduct basic tests to monitor BP, blood sugar and also ensure medicine stock is maintained.
UP chief secretary had also asked district magistrates to help doctors see serious patients at hospitals maintaining social distance.
“Medical problems can crop up even in times of lockdown, hence we have to find a way out,” said Dr Sandeep Kapoor, director, Healthcity hospital.
“We were getting calls from senior citizens who live alone in the city. They could not get services as they were unable to move out during the lockdown. Hence, we decided to make arrangements to ensure that they get necessary healthcare services including diagnostic facilities and medicine,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, head of Aastha Geriatric Centre.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) too has asked people to utilize telemedicine and consultancy facility via video calls judiciously and remain at home during the lockdown period. Dr Rama Srivastava, president IMA, Lucknow and Dr JD Rawat, secretary, issued a joint statement in this regard.
“If people get a solution to their health issues via telephone or video call, it will also ensure that only a few need to see the doctor in person,” said Dr PK Gupta, former president IMA, Lucknow who runs a pathology centre. Dr Gupta has ensured all his patients get their report via smartphone.
While Apollomedics Hospital started home delivery of medicines, other medicine traders in the city too have started reaching out to people.
“We don’t have enough staff, but we have found a way to help. Our retailers are taking the list of medicines from people in the neighbourhood and the supply is ensured in nearby areas,” said Vikas Rastogi, a medicine trader in Vikas Nagar.
Similarly, the Shila Devi Hospital in Jankipuram has started a door-to-door facility to examine patients and provide medicine.
At least 200 retailers are doing this on a daily basis. “During lockdown, many people are unable to come to medical stores and do not have help, hence medical store owners are doing their bit,” said Suresh Kumar, officer-bearer with the Chemists and Druggists Federation, Uttar Pradesh.