The Union Health Ministry has asked all the States and Union Territories to allow hospitalised Covid-19 patients to use smartphones and tablet devices to help them interact with their kin through video-conferencing, which would ease their mental stress.
Though mobile phones are allowed in hospital wards, the missive was issued following some representation from the kin of patients alleging otherwise. States like Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal too had initially banned the phones in the hospitals but later on withdrew their order following protests from the families.
Director General of Health Services (DGHS) in the Health Ministry Dr Rajiv Garg in the letter to the principal secretaries of health and medical education of states and Union territories said appropriate protocols for disinfecting devices and allotting time slots can be developed by the hospital concerned to facilitate contact between patients and their family.
He underlined that administrative and medical teams should be responsive to the psychological needs of patients admitted in COVID-19 wards and ICUs of various hospitals.
“Social connection can calm down patients and also reinforce the psychological support given by the treating team. Please instruct all concerned that they should allow smartphones and tablet devices in the inpatient area so that the patient can video conference with their family and friends,” as per the letter.
“Though mobile phones are allowed in the wards to enable a patient stay in touch with his or her family, we received representations from the patient families from some states stating mobile phones are not being allowed by hospital administrations because of which they were not being able to stay in contact with the patient,” said Dr Garg.
Dr Smita Deshpande, senior psychiatrist and consultant at RML Hospital, Delhi welcomed the move saying,” It is important for the patients staying alone in the quarantine to keep talking and sharing with their family members and friends how they feel and what they are going through. Interaction with their family members and friends will help them recover well.”
