Patients suffer as private clinics remain shut

OPDs of state-run hospitals are already closed

RAWALPINDI: The continued closure of private clinics and outpatient departments (OPDs) as part of social distancing directives to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has added to the troubles of people who are suffering from various diseases.

Disgruntled patients told The Express Tribune that the OPDs of all public hospitals have been closed for the past two-and-a-half months to curb the spread of Covid-19.

At the same time, the closure of most private clinics, which have been established in every nook and cranny of the city, has increased the problems for patients.

One direct impact of the closure of public and private healthcare facilities has been a massive increase in the number of patients who are heading to the emergency wards of government hospitals.

People seeking medical support in emergency wards of public hospitals rarely follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the government, said a health practitioner, adding that by ignoring SOPs was the main reason for the closure of private clinics.

Private health practitioner Dr Bashir Ahmed Malik said that many of his patients who came in for a check-up did so without wearing face masks.

“When patients who come for check-ups refuse to wear facemask and gloves despite all efforts [to warn them of the dangers of Covid-19], opening clinics in such a situation means enhancing the risk of spreading the virus,” he said.

The medic said that doctors are well aware of problems faced by patients due to the closure of neighbourhood clinics, but he said that they could not put theirs, or the lives of their patients in danger.

At least 4,000 patients used to visit the four public hospitals in the city and cantonment areas including the Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, the Holy Family Hospital, the District Headquarters Hospital and the Cantonment General Hospital daily for check-ups and consultation for various diseases before the lockdown, Malik reminded.

He said these figures were based on estimates drawn from the daily OPD registers of these hospitals.

Thousands of patients, he said, had access to facilities such as free laboratory tests, X-rays, electrocardiogram (ECG) and computed tomography (CT) scans. Moreover, patients received a free consultation from specialists in OPDs of public hospitals.

Another private practitioner Dr Ziaur Rehman said that in Rawalpindi, the majority of doctors at private clinics have closed their clinics due to violations of coronavirus SOPs by patients and their attendants.

While no decision has been taken by the government to reopen the OPDs of government hospitals, private practitioners were averse to falling victim of the disease.

Several citizens, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that OPDs of government hospitals should be reopened with new SOPs so that people can avail free health care.

“Everyone cannot afford to pay the fees of expensive private hospitals,” a patient said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2020.