Relatives of the Covid-19 patients will not be allowed in the wards of the civic-run King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital, the administration informed on Friday. The decision has been taken as hospital fears the crowd outside the building will lead to the further spread of infection.
The hospital said that the periodic information about the patient shall be given to the family members over the phone.
Dr Hemant Deshmukh, dean, KEM hospital, said that they have noticed that when a corona positive patient is admitted to the hospital, his/her relatives keep doing rounds of the hospital to meet them. Moreover, the area outside the ward is crowded and there’s no social distancing. “We already have covid patients and when their relatives come to meet them, they are in a danger to contract the virus and become the carrier themselves,” he said.
Dr Deshmukh added: “We have set up a team which will be calling the relatives once or twice a day to update them about the details and well-being of their loved-one.”
Civic officials said they are taking all possible steps to control infection at the hospitals for which this decision will be applicable for both covid and non-covid patients. Moreover they have noticed relatives taking photos of hospital wards without knowing the actual facts and they circulate it on social media due to which it demoralises doctors.
“All these steps are being taken for the benefit of the patients and their relatives. It has been learnt patients' relatives stay in the hospital premises without reason even though there is a rule that only two relatives can stay,” he said.
However, health activists said it is a good move but stopping relatives cannot bring any change in the working of hospitals or facts inside the hospital.
