Many private hospitals and nursing homes are reluctant to treat regular patients thanks to the fear of Coronavirus and movement restrictions owing to the strict implementation of lock down in areas of Vizianagaram district headquarters and other places.
RMPs have a field day
With this, many Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) have been taking ‘care’ of patients in the absence of regular services in hospitals. According to sources, many private hospitals in the district headquarters have stopped new admissions while discharging many In-Patients. Out Patient wings too are not functioning as many doctors and staff are showing little interest to extend their services in their respective hospitals.
Many patients are unable to get treatment in government hospitals too as medical and health staff have been allocated to different isolation wards and quarantine homes which have been were established in 70 places in the nine Assembly constituencies. For instance, an elderly patient P.Ratnamma of Ramabhadrapuram suffered from high blood pressure and could get treatment after running from pillar to post. Many elders and infants need immediate medical assistannce. Pregnant women need to visit hospitals for their periodic check-ups.
‘Doctors ready to work’
Although they are able to convince police personnel to reach the respective hospitals, treatment is not there in the absence of doctors and staff. “All doctors, nurses and staff are ready to work as usual in hospitals if the government issues duty passes. Otherwise, they are unable to reach hospitals. We have conveyed this issue to the district administration,” said V.S.Prasad, President of Andhra Pradesh State Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association. “If the government does not respond quickly, RMPs will continue to treat patients. We noticed that social distancing is not being followed in the premises of RMPs. It leads to the spread of Corona virus easily,” he added.
