KATHMANDU, June 30: The number of non-COVID patients admitted to the major hospitals has increased in recent days. Until a week ago, only COVID patients were admitted to the major hospitals in the valley.

The number of other patients admitted to Bir Hospital has increased in the last one week. As the number of patients in the hospital has started increasing, the National Trauma Center, which is providing services as COVID Hospital, has brought the old services into operation.

Dr Jageshwor Gautam, chief administrative officer at the Unified COVID Hospital, said that the COVID service in the old building of the hospital has been removed and the service in the new surgical building has been limited to 500 patients. "We urge COVID patients to come here for treatment without resorting to expensive treatment at other private hospitals," he said.

Similarly, Dr Yogendra Shakya, head at the TU Teaching Hospital Emergency Room, said after the decrease in the number of COVID patients the hospital is also admitting non-COVID patients. “At the peak time of the COVID pandemic, about 70 COVID patients came to the emergency room daily, but now only a few of them visit the hospital,” Shakya explained.

COVID-19 Coordinator of Teaching Hospital Dr Santa Kumar Das said the number of patients other than COVID-infected admitted to the hospital has increased for the past two weeks. The hospital has started admitting other patients whose problems are getting complicated as the admission rate of COVID patients is declining. At present, 560 other patients have been admitted to the hospital while only 86 patients are being treated for COVID. This number was exactly the opposite when the second wave of COVID hit the country.

There were 400 corona patients and 100 other patients. The surgical services and other services stopped by the hospital along with the corona infection were started as the COVID infection was declining, Dr Das said. "Hundreds of patients awaiting regular surgery have started arriving," he said.

The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) on Tuesday arranged for the treatment of patients from private hospitals and medical colleges in government hospitals after the number of COVID patients dropped. Private hospitals and medical colleges that have entered into an agreement with the ministry for COVID treatment have informed that they will not be able to bear the cost of patients after the next 10 days.

Doctors said that despite the decline in the number of corona infections in the valley some patients have still not visited the hospital due to fear of COVID transmission. Physicians suggest that it is advisable to treat patients who are experiencing complications. As hospitals treat corona-infected patients separately, they suggest patients with other conditions to visit the hospital with appropriate caution.

However, those who do not have a specific problem should consult a doctor from home, Dr Santa Kumar Das suggested.

Dr Shakya added that people visiting hospitals should keep washing hands with soap and water and use sanitizer after touching places like toilets, door handles, taps, chairs, and follow social distancing especially while queuing up.

 
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