Patients trickle in as COVID-19 outpatient services begin in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Outpatient (OP) services for suspected cases of COVID-19 have begun in the urban primary health centres (UPHC) and Basthi Dawakhanas, where citizens have started to trickle in to seek treatment for COVID-19. The State government took the decision to start COVID-19 OP services to avoid the delay in testing and treatment.

By 2:30 pm on Thursday, around 25 suspected COVID-19 patients turned up at the Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar UPHC, another 20 patients visited the Rahmath Nagar Basthi Dawakhana to procure medicines. The State government started the COVID-19 OP clinics in the State to contain the serious cases and arrest the mortality rate.

This Covid OP service was launched for early effective treatment of the disease that can help avert progression to more serious illness, especially for patients at high risk of disease progression and severe illness, with the additional benefit of reducing the burden on healthcare systems.

When The New Indian Express visited the SR Nagar UPHC,it was found that a separate Covid-19 OP service counter had been opened. "My mother has been suffering from fever and cough for the last two days and came to the UPHC for medical advice and procure medicines. The staff members provided a free COVID medicine kit consisting of tablets of fever, cold, antibiotic, multi-vitamins and other medicines," said Ramesh Kumar from Balkampet.

"I have had a slight increase in temperature since yesterday, and I came to the centre and explained my medical condition to them. They gave me fever, multi-vitamin and antibiotic tablets and asked me to stay in the isolation room," Srinivas Rao of Bapu Nagar said.

"My husband is suffering from a cough and fever. On the advice of the local  residents, they suggested I visit the nearby Basthi Dawakhana in Rahmath Nagar for medicines, I explained about the ailments my husband has to the healthcare staff and they provided me with a COVID medicine kit," Lakshmi of Krishna Nagar Colony said.

The healthcare staff said that the kits comprises tablets like Doxycycline, anti-viral (10 tablets for five days), Paracetamol for fever, 10 tablets (five days), Levocetirizine for cold, one tablet daily for 10 days, Rantac or Aciloc 150 mg for acidity, one tablet daily for 10 days, Vitamin C daily one tablet for 10 days and multi-vitamin tablets, two tablets daily for 10 days. If fever persists for five days, Methylprednisolone, a steroid tablet is prescribed for five days.

The staff said that if suspected patients or relatives who are coming to the centres, they are given the medicines by noting down their mobile numbers, house addresses in their registers for follow-up monitoring, they said.

Officials said the government initiative is aimed at avoiding that delay and giving timely treatment. When a patient approaches an outpatient service centre, he/she is provided  a kit containing a pamphlet of do’s and don’ts and medicines.

SOMESH TAKES STOCK OF OUTPATIENT SERVICES

Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Thursday visited the Boggulakunta Urban Primary Health Centre to take stock of the functioning of the COVID-19 outpatient services which began in all government hospitals, sub-centres and PHCs across the state.

Somesh went through the healthcare centre and enquired about the arrangements made for starting the outpatient services. Doctors informed that regular services are being provided in the healthcare centre while COVID-19 outpatient services are being provided in a community hall nearby. This is being done to avoid crowding. He stressed on the need to focus on treatment of all patients.