Coronavirus: AIIMS suspends routine OPD admissions as COVID-19 cases increase

However, OPD services that were recently resumed for patients seeking medical advice and counselling will continue    

New Delhi: AIIMS Hospital authorities have suspended routine OPD admissions in general and private wards for two weeks due to severe increase in the number of non-COVID patients being admitted in the emergency department.

According to reports, however, the recently resumed routine OPD services for patients seeking medical advice and counselling will continue.

A circular issued by Dr DK Sharma, AIIMS Medical Superintendent said, “Considering the need to optimise the usage of available inpatient beds for hospitalisation of seriously ill emergency/semi-emergency patients, it has been decided to temporarily stop routine OPD admissions to general wards as well as private wards in AIIMS Hospital and all centres with immediate effect for a period of two weeks which will be reviewed after that.”

Patients who require hospitalisation in general wards or such patients who are advised private wards hospitalisation owing to emergency and semi-emergency conditions will continue to be admitted in the hospital.

"Notwithstanding the above, EHS (employees health scheme) patients will continue to be hospitalised as clinically warranted," the circular added.

"The decision has been taken in view of increased admissions of non-COVID serious patients through emergency, particularly trauma emergency as the Trauma Centre has been converted into a dedicated COVID-19 facility. There has been an almost two-fold increase in emergency admissions," Sharma explained.