Amid rising COVID-19 cases in the national capital, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has decided to shut its physical OPD services from today (April 22) and postpone routine inpatient admissions to contain the spread of the virus and augment resources for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
According to reports, the AIIMS administration on Monday in a statement said, "...it has been decided to temporarily switch over from physical consultations of OPD's patients in morning OPD's as well as Speciality Clinics in AIIMS Hospital and all Centres to Teleconsultations with effect from Thursday, 22.04.2021."
The decision has been taken "in view of increased need to minimize possibility of community spread of ongoing COVID-19 epidemic and also to optimize diversion of available manpower and materials resources for the treatment of suspected/confirmed patients of COVID-19 and also considering the situation of total curfew announced by the Delhi government," it said.
Further, in view of need to optimise usage of available inpatient beds for hospitalisation of seriously ill emergency/ semi-emergency patients, it has been decided to temporarily postpone routine inpatient admissions in general wards as well as private wards in AIIMS Hospital and all Centres with immediate effect for a period of two weeks which will be reviewed after that, the administration said.
Emergency patients who require inpatient hospitalization in general wards or such patients who are advised private wards hospitalisation owing to emergency/ semi emergency conditions, will continue to be admitted, the circular stated. "Notwithstanding above, EHS patients will continue to be hospitalised as clinically warranted," it said.
Delhi has been reporting around 25,000 COVID-19 cases daily in the past few days, putting tremendous pressure on its healthcare infrastructure.
Delhi logged 24,638 fresh COVID-19 cases and 249 deaths due to the viral disease on Wednesday as the positivity rate stood at 31.28 per cent, meaning almost every third sample turned out to be positive, amid a growing clamour for oxygen and hospital beds in the city.
(With inputs from PTI)
