NEW DELHI: A screening area will be set up at AIIMS-Delhi to identify and segregate patients having symptoms of influenza-like illness and COVID-19 before they are referred to the out-patient department as the hospital gears up to resume OPD services in a phased manner, officials said.
According to AIIMS chief spokesperson Dr Aarti Vij, the hospital is in the process of modifying its OPDs in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Preparations are on in full-swing for setting up a screening OPD to identify and segregate patients having influenza-like-illness and COVID-19 suspects before they are sent to the main OPD, she said.
“This is being done from the point of view of taking all possible infection control measures to prevent any spread of infection to non-COVID patients and healthcare workers. Steps are also being taken towards ensuring good air circulation. Since we are modifying the OPDs, it will require few more days,” she added.
It has been close to a month that AIIMS has shut down its OPD services and curtailed all elective surgeries as part of its efforts towards redirecting its resources to control the COVID-19 outbreak.
The hospital has also constituted a committee to devise a strategy for restoring healthcare services in a phased manner, Vij said.
A large proportion of manpower and patient care facilities are being dedicated for managing COVID-19 patients. Besides, the entire AIIMS Trauma Centre has been converted into a dedicated COVID-19 hospital and the NCI Jhajjar also is treating coronavirus infected patients.
(With PTI inputs)