Manipur RIMS closes OPD, few departments

Our Correspondent

Imphal, July 27 (EMN): Northeast India’s premier medical institution- Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) has closed its usual general OPD (out-patients department) and few departments till July 29 after some in-patients and staff were tested positive for Covid-19.

However, the hospital of the institute will function its normal health care services in other departments such as casualty, emergency obstetrics and gynaecology service (including delivery) in patients’ service, flue clinic, cancer treatment, PMR department, and dental.

Confirming this, the medical superintendent Prof Ch Arunkumar Singh of RIMS in a clarification note on Monday said, closing of the institute includes only General OPD and affected departments.

The decision for closure of general OPD and affected departments are taken on recommendation of experts and head of departments as precautionary measure due to the infected case of Covid-19 among staff and in-patient in some departments in the interest of the general public, it stated.

On Sunday, RIMS authority had said that the epidemiological investigation and contact tracing inside RIMS is underway for necessary actions, a source said.

Sources here said around five in patients in some departments along with few health care workers were tested positive for Covid-19 and they are being given necessary treatment.

On the other hand Bishnupur district hospital has also started its usual OPD services in spite of having inadequate staff in public interest. However we will not attend the persons who visit the hospital without protective masks, chief medical officer of the district said. It may be mentioned that Senapati district hospital has been closed until further orders after one of its medical officers was tested positive for Covid-19 on July 24.  The district authorities have also taken up all necessary steps including contacts tracing of both the primary and secondary contacts through rapid response team Senapati.