After Jammu, authorities in Kashmir, too, on Wednesday ordered deferment of all elective and routine surgeries in government as well as private health institutions in the valley amid continuing upsurge in COVID-19.
News agency GNS quoted an order by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P K Pole confirming the development saying that prevailing situation of COVID-19 pandemic in Kashmir Division demands optimal utilization of available resources so that the existing infrastructure/ healthcare facilities are not overstretched to the hilt.
It said the main focus of the healthcare system at this juncture is management of Covid-19 positive cases for which majority of the resources at present of the healthcare system have been diverted.
However, cases where there are pressing or dire medical exigencies and the benefits of such procedure outweigh the risk related to Covid-19 situation and its fallout, have been exempted from the order.
Besides, emergency services, critical care required for co-morbid patients, dialysis patients, once surgeries and MCH services shall continue as usual, the order said.
District Magistrates/ Chairman, District Disaster Management Authorities and Chief Medical Officers of the concerned district have been asked to conduct random inspections and audit of the healthcare institutions to enforce compliance of this order under the extant rules within their jurisdictions.
The order shall be reviewed periodically based on the evolving Covid-19 situation.
Earlier in the day, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Raghav Langer issued a similar order asking to put the routine surgeries at all hospitals on hold on view of the pandemic.