Ahmedabad: Analysis of Outpatient and Inpatient Department (OPD and IPD) at the State Hospital for July 2019 and 2021 revealed that the amount down 32.4% or about one third (from 3.86 lakh to 2.6 lakh) in four big cities this year.
While Ahmedabad recorded a decline of 37% in OPSD, the decline in IPD was around 18.5%.
In other cities, the OPD decline varied from 44% in letter by 19% in Vadodara.
For private hospitals, the decline is slightly lower.
A representative from Ramuka Apollo said that compared to July 2019, currently the decline in OPD and IPD numbers is around 15% to 20%.
“But on the other hand, we haven’t seen a big decline in the surgical procedure or occupancy of ICUS.
The numbers have reached the pre-covid level,” an official said.
Namisha Gandhi, Vice President Sterling Hospitals, said that the number of planned procedures increased.
“One reason for the decline in OPDs can be a patient’s preference to get primary care around it because of a pandemic.
City hospital has a number of patients who come from other districts in Gujarat and other countries for complex procedures,” he said.
The government managed by a government such as a civil hospital in Ahmedabad and a letter records almost 1 lakh patient in the OPD which ranges from a disease transmitted through vectors to eyes, nose, throat, psychiatry, gastric problems, etc.
The amount can rise with seasonal diseases, experts say.
“Rush is currently in OPD especially for special diseases ranging from heart problems to the skin.
Some also come to post-covid complications,” said a civil hospital official.
Officials also added that reluctance to approach medical arrangements during and after the second wave was also the main reason for decreasing numbers.
Thus, patients often come with severe symptoms when a visit to the doctor becomes unavoidable, officials said.