Health ministry instructs state hospitals to resume "curtailed" surgeries

COLOMBO (News1st): The health ministry has instructed state hospitals to gradually recommence surgeries and medical procedures, observing that such services have been "temporarily curtailed" amidst COVID-19. Surgeries should be performed on patients who require an emergency procedure, even if they are considered as high-risk patients for COVID-19, with the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Dr Anil Jasinghe, the director-general of health services said in a letter. "In the case of emergency procedures, the COVID-19 PCR test result should not delay the procedure," he said. The health ministry has recommended patients to be assessed as "high-risk" or "low-risk" patients for COVID-19 using a special "screening tool". According to the screening tool, individuals who had been exposed to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients two weeks before the procedure, or travelled outside the country or visited an area which is under high surveillance for the virus, qualify as high-risk patients. A person who does not meet any of the criteria will be considered as a low-risk patient. The health chief noted that elective surgeries -- which are not required to be done immediately -- on high-risk COVID-19 patients can either be postponed by 14 days or carried out using PPE gear which includes a closer fitting face mask, known as an N-95 mask. "Any elective surgical/medical procedure should be re-scheduled as soon as practically possible," Dr Jasinghe said if the surgery is not carried out immediately. He said that procedures should recommence safely without increasing the risk of COVID-19. The health ministry observed that emergency procedures have been temporarily reduced at state hospitals to "ensure adequate hospital capacity to respond to COVID-19".