COVID-19 Pune: PMC allows general practitioners to treat patients having mild to moderate symptoms

Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has allowed general practitioners in the city to treat corona patients having mild to moderate symptoms who are currently in home isolation. Patients are also allowed to avail of this paid service through telemedicine - which is the distribution of healthcare services through electronic mediums.

Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar had organised the meeting with various associations of doctors, including the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the General Practitioners Association (GPA), and the Association of Physicians of India (API).

This decision has been taken in this meeting and has been welcomed by these organisations. It has been taken with the aim of reducing the stress on Covid Hospitals and Covid Care Centers.

Pune's general practitioners opine that this decision is good keeping in view the aim of decentralising routine examination and treatment of coronavirus. It is also thought that this decision can help in breaking the chain of the pandemic.

There are nearly 10,000 general practitioners, family physicians, ayurvedic, and homeopathic doctors of all pathologies in the city who will now be able to treat corona suspects, as well as patients with mild to moderate ailments.

Patients were initially offered the option of home isolation if there was a facility at home. Currently, around 1,500 to 2000 corona suspects and patients are being found in the city every day.

The patients are being treated at government and private Covid hospitals and care centers which are been sanctioned by governmental authorities. With the increasing number of patients, these hospitals and care centers have reached their full capacity. Thus, the stress on the health system is increasing a little every day.

"90 per cent of the people go to family doctors and the nearest practitioner for illnesses like cold and cough. But, after the outbreak of Corona, general practitioners were afraid to treat civilians with such symptoms. They have now been given official permission by the Pune Municipal Corporation and other governmental authorities. Therefore, the stress on the government health system will now decentralise." said former Deputy Mayor and PMC corporator, Dr Siddharth Dhende while speaking to Sakal Times. He was present in the meeting.

Additionally, Dr. Rajesh Tilekar, senior general practitioner told Sakal Times, "The Pune Municipal Corporation has taken a good decision and we welcome the move. It should have been taken earlier. I am currently treating some 20 to 25 patients from home. Currently, the number of patients has increased. Patients are being advised to take vitamin pills and other antibiotics treatment and drugs. All of these patients will be in home isolation, given good treatment, and better attention."