With the spike in Covid related deaths and rise in infection cases putting burden on healthcare infrastructure, Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered to defer routine/elective surgeries in all government and private health institutions across J&K for their optimal utilization for Covid management.
The Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir divisions in separate orders directed all the health care institutions, both government as well private, to defer all elective, routine surgeries. However emergency, critical care services will remain out of the ambit of these orders.
An order issued by the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, P.K Pole said: “In view of prevailing situation of Covid-19 pandemic in Kashmir Division which demands optimal utilization of available resources so that the existing infrastructure/ healthcare facilities are not overstretched to the hilt, the elective/ routine surgeries require to be deferred.”
“The main focus of the healthcare system at this juncture is management of Covid-19 positive cases and majority of the resources at present of the healthcare system have been diverted to Covid-19 management,” it states.
Divisional commissioner Kashmir ordered that in view of the facts and till further order, all elective and routine surgeries shall be deferred in government as well as private health institutions in the division, unless there are pressing or dire medical exigencies and the benefits of such procedure outweigh the risk related to Covid-19 situation and its fallout.
However, as per the order, the emergency services, critical care required for co-morbid patients, dialysis patients, once surgeries and MCH services shall continue as usual.
“The District Magistrates/Chairman, District Disaster Management Authorities and Chief Medical Officers of the concerned district shall conduct random inspections and audit of the healthcare institutions to enforce compliance of this order under the extent rules within their jurisdictions,” it reads.
“The order shall be reviewed periodically based on the evolving Covid-19 situation.”
Similar order was issued by the Divisional Commissioner Jammu which mentions that “for optimal utilization of available resources so that the existing infrastructure/healthcare facilities are not overburdened, the elective/routine surgeries are required to be deferred.”
It stated that the main focus of the Health Care System at this juncture is Covid management.
Earlier, SKIMS Soura, the largest tertiary care hospital here, has ordered closure of all non-emergency surgeries and admissions to carve space for the increasing load of COVID19 patients.