Clinics report huge rush as people line up for long-delayed treatments

Janaki G.S., a homemaker and senior citizen, had been ready anxiously for easing of lockdown restrictions. Her dentures had damaged over two weeks in the past and there was no approach of fixing it since dentists had shut store. “I spent two harrowing weeks eating soft food, like idli and ragi mudde apart from liquids. The first thing I did on Monday was to go to my dentist,” she mentioned.

With COVID-19 circumstances on the decline and restrictions relaxed, hospitals resumed elective procedures and bodily consultations after over two months on Monday. Dentists, ophthalmologists, orthopaedicians and different specialists are reporting a glut of sufferers and lengthy wait for appointments.

Dr. Rajashekhar, President, Karnataka Ophthalmic Society, mentioned there was a protracted queue of sufferers who’ve been ready for therapy of cataract, diabetic retinopathy and different points. With predictions of a 3rd wave of COVID-19 in two months, sufferers wish to get their eyes checked, and take up elective procedures throughout the subsequent eight weeks. “As eye infections are one of the symptoms of black fungus and, apart from that, some patients are developing eye issues post COVID-19, many patients who have recovered from COVID-19 are turning up for a check-up. Students, who have been attending online classes for months on end, are coming to get their eyes checked,” he mentioned.

Appointments with dentists are arduous to return by. Many dentists had been consulting on-line and managing sufferers, however all bodily procedures needed to wait throughout the lockdown.

“There is a huge backlog of patients who needed procedures like root canal, tooth extraction and other procedures, but were made to wait till Monday. Now we are scheduling appointments based on severity of each case,” mentioned Dr. Sudarshan Sajjan, Secretary, Indian Dental Association, Bengaluru. He additionally reported a number of black fungus circumstances being recognized at dental clinics. “I diagnosed two cases from among my patients on Monday. Back fungus can affect the jaw and gums, which many assume to be a dental problem,” he mentioned.

However, Outpatient Departments (OPD) in authorities and personal hospitals have solely seen a marginal enhance of walk-in sufferers, however that’s anticipated to alter by the top of the week.

B.R. Mohan, Resident Medical Officer, K.C. General Hospital, Bengaluru, mentioned the hospital had seen an over 10% rise in sufferers at its OPD during the last two days alone.

Dr. H.S. Prasanna, President, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes’ Association (PHANA), mentioned common sufferers have began searching for follow-up appointments with their medical doctors. It will take almost every week for restoration of normalcy.

“The government is yet to release all the beds it had taken over during the peak of the second wave of COVID-19. As far as I know, it has been two weeks since they referred a patient to a general bed, and at least two days since they referred anyone to an ICU bed, except in Mysuru where cases are still high. We will write to the Health Minister to release our beds so that we can serve other patients. The government can take back the beds if cases rise again,” he mentioned.