Shimla: Most of the patients who have died due to coronavirus in the state were already suffering from comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension and renal diseases.
This has been revealed by a government spokesperson. He said that it is the priority of the Government to ensure continuity of treatment for patients suffering from Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) especially diabetes and hypertension.
So far, as many as 2,581 patients have succumbed to the virus. The first death due to coronavirus in the state was recorded in March 2020.
Keeping in view the current pandemic situation, state government has direced all the Chief Medical Officers and Senior Medical Superintendents to provide an uninterrupted supply of drugs and healthcare facilities in all the public health institutions across the State.
He further added that guidelines related to healthy lifestyle including healthy diet, physical activities, less consumption of sugar and salt, avoidance of alcohol and tobacco, reducing stress and adequate sleep to increase immunity levels, are available at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Website.
The State has established 1052 Health and Wellness Centres and E-Sanjeevani OPD and E Sanjeevani services besides the regular healthcare facilities to ensure access and availability of the treatment to these patients.
He urged that such patients should continue with their regular treatment in this time of pandemic as it shall help them to have less morbidity and mortality in case they suffer from COVID-19.
The state government has issued fresh directions to all the dialysis units across the State to provide timely and interrupted services to the patients who require dialysis. The Government spokesperson informed that any patient reaching the facility for dialysis shall be kept in triage of the concerned health institution which shall be followed by the testing for COVID through RAT or RT-PCR (if RAT negative and symptomatic). The laboratories shall have to provide the test results of such patients on priority so that their treatment be started immediately. He added that strict directions have been given to ensure the treatment of the dialysis to the patients and that no dialysis shall be deferred for want of test results.
There are about 15 dialysis units in Public Private Partnership mode in Regional Hospital Bilaspur, Zonel Hospital Dharamshala, Regional Hospital Kullu, Zonal Hospital Mandi, Regional Hospital Solan, Regional Hospital Una, Zonal Hospital Shimla, Regional Hospital Hamirpur, Regional Hospital Chamba, Civil Hospital Nurpur, Civil Hospital Palampur, Civil Hospital Paonta Sahib, Civil Hospital Sundarnagar and SLBSGMC Nerchowk Mandi. In the month of April 2021, total 4039 dialysis sessions were conducted on 687 patients in these units. Total 1,65,854 dialysis sessions have been conducted on 20,633 patients in these units since 2015. He said that it has been ensured that all the dialysis units function continuously even during the pandemic.
The directions have been issued to all the staff members to ensure personal protection and universal precautions against infection of Covid and follow Covid Appropriate Behaviour norms in the facility.
