55% reduction in OPD patients at GMCH

Lokmat News Network

Nagpur: Jan 5

Due to Covid pandemic, the number of patients in GMCH’s out patient department (OPD) decreased suddenly due to fear of catching infection, if they went for treatment.

The number patients in OPD decreased to 59,000 in March 2020, compared to 80,000 in March 2019.

As the pandemic increased, number of patients decreased. Overall, the number of patients decreased by 55.84 per cent in 2020 as compared to 2019. But now the number of corona viruses has dwindled, non-Covid’s patient treatment is resuming. Over 2,000 patients are being examined every day.

Due to ‘lockdown’ people mostly remained indoors. Although emergency services were functioning, many avoided taking treatment at a government hospital because of corona scare. During this period, there was a significant decrease in the number of patients in hospitals.

A total of 9,47,097 patients were treated in the OPD of GMCH in 2019, which declined to 5,28,949 in 2020. OPD, which goes up to 3,000 per day, has come down to 1,000 and below. During this period, some patients under went treatment at home and others opted for tele medicine. But since October 2020, as the number of corona viruses cases has been declining, the number of other patients are increasing. In December 2020, the number of patients reached 54,000.

Patient thronged

dermatology dept

Last year, there was a drop of 30 to 50 per cent in patients inflow across all departments, except dermatology department. In 2019, 1,34,001 patients were treated and in 2020, 85,178 patients were treated. The Casualty department suffered a big blow, as only 20,752 patients were admitted in 2020, where as in 2019, the figure was 91,905.

50% less surgeries

performed in 2020

While 71,473 general surgeries were performed in 2019, only 35,766 surgeries were performed in 2020. There was a 50 percent reduction in surgeries. But in December, the number of surgeries increased. There have been 3,521 surgeries in a month.

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