VIJAYAWADA: The Health department on Saturday issued directions barring RMPs (registered medical practitioners) from treating people suffering from cold, cough and fever. The department issued the directives in view of the reports that some RMPs were treating the patients with Covid-19 symptoms. RMPs in the villages are now directed to inform the health workers and village volunteers about any such case that comes to them for treatment. Further, they were also asked to alert the nearby government hospital, whenever they come across such cases.
RMPs ignoring the directives are warned of stern action. The State government has already set up four Covid-19 hospitals for critical care and one Covid-19 hospital for each of the 13 districts in the State.
Special Chief Secretary (Health) KS Jawahar Reddy said special OPs in government and private hospitals are only for emergency cases and there should be separate Covid-19 OP with a separate entrance. He directed the officials concerned to implement the same. The special OP department will function between 9 am and 2 pm only.
He said all measures are being taken to ensure medical personnel and other patients are not infected with coronavirus. Medical personnel treating Covid-19 cases are being provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and N 95 mask. He asked the hospital authorities to separate the patients admitted to casualty wing with coronavirus symptoms.