The number of patients at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital has been reduced after the imposition of an 'all-out' lockdown to control the Coronavirus situation. Specially, the number of daily patients at the Outdoor of the hospital has been reduced drastically. The total number of patients in both the outdoor and indoor has been reduced to a half in compared to the regular number of patients.
RMCH, the largest hospital in the northern region of the country, is often seen to tackle a huge number of patients. A large number of patients are seen to queue in front of the Outdoor section of the hospital to procure tickets for treatment. But, due to the lockdown, patients from rural areas are failing to arrive in Rajshahi city. As a result, the number of patients has been reduced in the hospital. However, only seriously ill patients are being admitted in the hospital but the number of such patients is also very small, informed RMCH sources.
According to sources, on the first day of lockdown on April-14, the number of newly admitted patients at the hospital was 511. The total admitted patients at the hospital was 1,241 that day. On April-15, a total of 402 patients were admitted. The total admitted patients on the day was 1,170. On April-17, only 294 new patients admitted at the hospital with the prevailing number of patients 1,042 while on April-18 the number of admitted patients was 351 with a total admitted patients of 1,038. On April-19 only 373 patients were admitted while the total admitted patients in the hospital was 1,028.
RMCH authorities informed, the panic of Corona and the lockdown were responsible for a reduction of patients at the hospital. During the normal period, some 2000 to 3,000 patients used to throng at the Outdoor of the hospital for treatment of various ailments. The Outdoor of the hospital is the only place for the poor patients to receive treatment at almost no cost. But, the scenario at the Outdoor has been changed after the lockdown. There is no rush of patients here. On April 19 only 876 patients took treatment here while on April-18 the number was 912.
Dr. Naoshad Ali, Principal of RMC informed, leaves of all physicians at the hospital have been cancelled so that no patient returns without getting any treatment. Doctors at the college were fully cooperating with the patients.But, the presence of patients has been reduced though the treatment at the outdoor is continuing on a limited scale.
Patient Masud Rana of Tikapara area of the city was seen to take treatment at outdoor. He said, the outdoor was almost empty. The doctor was also available and there was no need to queue for procuring tickets and the treatment. The doctor wrote a prescription from a safe distance and drugs were also available from the hospital.
Minati Rani has been admitted to the General ward of the hospital. Her husband Sanjoy Sarker said the wards are now more or less empty. The doctors are available and the patients are getting medicine and proper treatment from the hospital. Earlier, the hospital remained overcrowded with patients. The number of patients has been reduced due to the lockdown, he added.
Dr. Saiful Ferdous, Deputy Director of RMCH informed, the number of patients at the hospital has been reduced due to the lockdown. It is now easier for the doctors and nurses to treat the patients.
Brigadier General Shamim Yazdani, Director of RMCH informed, though the number of patients has been reduced, it is troublesome to treat the Corona patients and the patients with other complications at the same hospital.
