At long last, TIMS opens doors to COVID patients and suspects

Hospitals attached to three private medical colleges start offering free treatment

July 14, 2020 11:49 pm | Updated 11:50 pm IST - HYDERABAD

Finally put to use: Each floor of the 14-storey Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences at Gachibowli has 36 rooms with attached bathrooms and halls.

Finally put to use: Each floor of the 14-storey Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences at Gachibowli has 36 rooms with attached bathrooms and halls.

COVID-19 patients and suspects now have more options for hospital admissions. Apart from existing government hospitals, they can finally head to the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS), Gachibowli.

Besides, free treatment is being offered to patients and suspects at hospitals attached to at least three private medical colleges in the State. Seven more such medical colleges will also follow suit soon.

With such developments, the hospital bed capacity in the State has increased. As cases continue to steadily rise, hospitals will see more patients knocking at their doors. However, only patients with moderate to severe condition are admitted to government hospitals. In a few cases, mild patients are also admitted.

Those who are asymptomatic are advised to self-isolate and undergo treatment within the confines of their home. If they do not have facilities at home for isolation, they are offered isolation at government hospitals.

Director of Public Health G. Srinivasa Rao and Director of Medical Education K. Ramesh Reddy said that around 80% to 85% of COVID-19 patients are either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

TIMS facility

Among the existing government hospitals, TIMS attracted public attention after photos of medical infrastructure there were widely circulated on social media platforms. Plush interiors and beds with ventilators gave an impression that it is better equipped than any State-run healthcare facility in Telangana.

Several dates were announced for its launch over the past few months, but patients were finally admitted to TIMS without a grand event.

When a COVID patient walks into TIMS, their medical condition is accessed in triage to decide whether they need admission or must be shifted to another hospital. Patients in critical condition are directed to Gandhi Hospital as multi-speciality doctors are available there.

Dr. Ramesh Reddy said they were not limiting treatment at hospitals in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, and have started admitting COVID patients to Area Hospitals and District Hospitals too.

He added that measures are taken to ensure that the infectious disease does not spread to non-COVID patients who come to the hospital.

Dr Srinivasa Rao said at least 10 hospitals attached to private medical colleges have come forward to collaborate with the State government in fighting COVID-19. Treatment there is free of cost for patients and suspects. However, the State government would be providing the hospitals with drugs, medical consumables, dietary products etc.

Of those 10 hospitals, three have started offering treatment — Kamineni Medical College, Mamatha Medical College and Malla Reddy Medical College. “A help desk will be established there to guide patients and suspects,” he said.

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