Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Mar 24: The doctors demand restoration of full-speed 4G internet facilities so that they can offer online consultations to “non-COVID serious illnesses” and other ailments in Kashmir.
To contain infection doctors have announced on-call consultations for minor ailments, but in some cases, the physical condition of the patient is required for better treatment. For that, doctors said, video graphic consultation can help in diagnosis without compromising on social distancing.
In addition, the authorities have suspended the OPDs units of all the hospitals. Elective surgeries and procedures have also been put on hold in view of the emerging situation. However, slow internet speed is proving to be a major hurdle in providing distant consultations.
“With this speed it takes us a lot of time to see a video download prescriptions or video clip of our patient. We would be able to see triple the number of patients if high-speed internet is restored. A patient can also video call us to save time and effort. Things would be a lot easier with better speed,” Dr. Irfan told Excelsior.
Since the Government opened access to the 2G services the locals have been demanding high-speed internet services. However, the Government has been extending the 2G services every time it takes a fresh review. Continuing with the trend, the Government on 26th March issued a statement wherein it maintained that speed would remain low unless a new review. The demand for high-speed internet grew louder after the valley reported the first case of the COVID 19 last week.
Doctors explained the countries that were hit by the crisis also adopted online consultation and they follow their footprints. They said a video call is sufficient to treat majority of the day-to-day illnesses. “Only 5-10% illnesses are serious in one day and a majority of them are mild,” Dr. Suhail Naik told Excelsior. He added non-COVID seriousness illnesses like cardiac arrest or stroke can also prove fatal if timely treatment is not provided.
By online consultations, the doctors said a large number of doctors would offer their services from home. “By doing so we can save some doctors and use them in rotation. We have to judiciously use our sources in these trying times,” another doctor said.
The slow internet speed is also hampering doctors to update themselves with the recommended guidelines. “This is frustrating, trying to download the guidelines for intensive care management as proposed by doctors in England. It is as many as 24 MBs. It has been an hour…still not able to do so,” Iqbal Saleem, a professor of surgery at Government Medical College Srinagar tweeted on Thursday about his invalidity to access intensive care management guidelines as the CaronaVirus Pandemic spread.
Apart from doctors, slow speed is hampering people to get information regarding the COVID-19. “I am unable to access information regarding the infection due to the slow speed internet. The government should restore the internet,” Mir Bareeq, a student told Excelsior.
Innovators and volunteers are also facing difficulty with reduced speed. A group of IIT engineers from NIT Srinagar, who are willing to help in creating an online platform, also struggle due to slow speed. “In some developed countries online platforms were developed in one week and some people have also shown will here. A group of students is planning to create a platform wherein doctors and patients can interact easily. But slow internet is discouraging them to go ahead,” a doctor said.
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