Telangana: Corporates asked to cancel elective surgeries

Koti: Amid the surge in Covid-19 cases, the Health department has directed corporate hospitals in the State to cancel all elective surgeries for the next four weeks, as there is a dire need of beds for Corona patients.

Looking at the spike in Corona positive cases, the department said the virus situation was turning worse in its second spell. "All private hospitals are suggested to provide beds for infected patients and elective surgeries must be cancelled", its directive stated.

Director of Public Health G Srinivas Rao said:"the Coronavirus is spreading rapidly in the State. The beds are to meet with the demand as the number of patients is going high. It may continue for six more weeks. As many as 20,000 beds have been arranged across the State and almost all are occupied. More beds are required to accommodate patients, if the cases increase. I request hospitals not to admit patients for surgeries unless it's an emergency".

Meanwhile, the government is planning to increase 41,000 extra beds throughout the State in the wake of the surge. Despite having 20,000 beds for treatment of infected in both government and private hospitals, they are not sufficient. More beds are required to felicitate the patients.

The government plans to control the virus to save lives. There is a dearth of beds in the State and if Covid-19 patients are to be treated, others with comorbidities may get infected easily. To avoid such a situation surgeries must be avoided for a few weeks, a department official stated.