CM, Sisodia at Lok Nayak, Thursday
Patients admitted at Lok Nayak will be able to speak to their family members through video conferencing facilities that started at the government hospital on Thursday. Family members of several patients have been complaining that once the patient is admitted, it is hard to get in touch with them. The problem is seen especially with elderly patients who do not have smart phones.
While many private hospitals are extending video calling facilities to patients, in government hospitals, doctors and nurses have been the only link for many. Lok Nayak hospital, where 759 patients are admitted, was the first dedicated Covid facility in the city. It is the biggest Covid hospital and has 2,000 beds.
“Till now, the problem was that if a Covid patient was admitted to the hospital, relatives were unable to meet or talk to them… Now, tablets have been installed in every ward of the hospital. Family members can visit the hospital and talk to the patient through video conferencing,” said Kejriwal.
Tablets have been placed inside the wards and at a counter outside as well, for use by patients and their relatives. Family members have been gathering outside the hospital every day, asking doctors about the condition of those admitted. Most would be turned away as doctors and nursing staff are not immediately aware of the patient’s condition or in which ward they are.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia suggested that the tablets be used by doctors and administrative staff as well to stay in touch with patients and avoid entering the ward unnecessarily and exposing themselves to the virus.
The CM also spoke to doctors as well as two patients admitted in the ICU – an elderly woman and an IIT Delhi employee.
In a meeting with the hospital medical director, Kejriwal was told that all beds in the hospital are equipped with oxygen.
MD Dr Suresh Kumar said that over 3,700 Covid patients have been admitted to the hospital till date, out of which over 2,700 have recovered and returned home.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also visited the hospital on June 15 and had interacted with the doctors. He was not accompanied by any Delhi government minister.
In his interaction with the doctors, Kejriwal thanked the doctors and said he knew it was difficult to work while wearing PPE. “It has been a difficult, tough, and arduous journey for all of you. I have heard a lot of times about you all, that it has been days since you have not visited your homes and not met your family members. I know that it is not easy to wear a PPE kit and sweat it out for eight hours day after day,” he said and asked them to not pay heed to “negative stories” in media.
Speaking to reporters as he left the hospital, Kejriwal said that the shortcomings should be blamed upon the government and not the doctors. “You have pointed out some shortcomings. Those are because of the administration and the government, not the doctors,” he said.
The city saw 3,390 fresh Covid cases on Thursday, taking the total tally to 73,780. The number of deaths in the city reached 2,429 as 64 more patients died in the past 24 hours. Delhi’s fatality rate is 3.2% while the recovery rate touched 60.6%. Over 15,000 people are presently in home isolation.