Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital’s response to COVID-19

The COVID 19 Pandemic

An Immediate Emergency OPD Response

The hospital has taken immediate preventive measures to help patient avoid coming out of their homes to the hospital but at the same time continue its daily OPD and Emergency services to reach these valued stakeholders who put their trust for quality eye care services on it. To check the increasing spread of the COVID 19 pandemic which has now slowly stepped into North Bengal, as an early measure we issued awareness creation protocol including flagging of Standee informing Corona Virus Symptoms and Precautions to be taken. The hospital also started distributing information leaflets as an early preventive action including promoting patients to avoid routine check-up and entry of patients only on the basis of emergency.

To make this process easier and create awareness amongst the patients and other stakeholders, the hospital conducted a region wide social media campaign, and direct distribution of information leaflet on COVID 19 Pandemic to all its stakeholders.

Issuing Of Emergency WhatsApp Consultation Numbers

As the emergency lockdown was implemented by the Centre, endorsed by the State to prevent the spread of COVID 19, supporting the government’s measures, the hospital encouraged all its stakeholders to self-isolate and issued emergency WhatsApp consultation numbers to attend to patient ophthalmic needs until lockdown continues.

Patients are provided with thorough online counselling over phone and whatsapp is used as a tool to take patient submission for close up photograph of the eye and their symptoms. Once the required information is received it is shared with in the Doctors group where they consult and prescribe required medication. After cross verification the same is sent to the patient and medicine administration is explained properly over the phone.

In case of an emergency after pre-consultation over Phone & Whatsapp the patient is asked to visit the hospital where they are attended by our emergency on duty Staff and Doctor.