ISSN: 2578-5001
Authors: Kumar P*
Health is a subject of state as per the constitution of India. Hence different states of India have autonomy in deciding and reserving different percentages of beds for the COVID-19 cases as per their needs as well as availability of beds. As an example, Delhi had reserved 50% of ICU (intensive care unit) beds for COVID-19 patients. Due to the novel corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we found that there have been widespread changes in healthcare access by different types of patients suffering from different diseases. Besides fear of COVID-19 Nosocomial infection, this new arrangement and prioritization of the sudden needs of huge number of COVID-19 patients it is anticipated that this situation may have reduced the IPD patients suffering from other diseases. The key researcher has observed significant change in period prevalence of IPD patients during his duties at health centres in the COVID-19 era which tempted him to find out answer to title research question. This study was done to assess that, does the COVID-19 era has affected IPD services utilization by patient (positively or negatively) of other disease on a large countrywide basis? This study will definitely help policy and decision makers to visualize the health services delivery to IPD patients of diseases other than COVID-19. This research study is an attempt to highlight the COVID-19 impacts on IPD patients of other diseases. We have started this novel study with key aim to assess positive or any negative impact of COVID-19 situation on IPD (other than COVID-19) hospital admissions count in India to assess IPD services utilization by them. We included all (public/ private/rural/urban) health facilities across 36 states and union territories of India. The data were obtained from online HMIS (Health Management Information System) of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI (Government of India). This study was not a sample survey and we included all IPDs (indoor patients) of 36 states and union territories of India. The GoI enforced an obligatory nationwide lockdown from 25th March 2020, ending on 31st May 2020. This study revealed that the mean IPD admission reduced during COVID-19 pandemic period of this study by 2048459 numbers or in percentage it was reduced by 27.55%. This study found that there is a significant reduction in various IPD admissions for medical conditions other than COVID-19, during the COVID-19 period which must be a matter of concern to important stakeholders of the health system, in the light of our knowledge that it is not possible to reduce the burden of disease in India in a small period or overnight. Governments of India should make strategies on priority to trim down burden of morbidity and mortality due to CDs as well as NCDs, in order to reap the benefits of Demographic Dividend. The COVID-19 or any such pandemic and distress management should not be prioritized at the cost of other NCDs and CDs management
Keywords: IPD; Health Services; COVID-19; Pandemic; Inpatient Care
