Telangana govt bars RMPs from treating Covid patients

HYDERABAD: The state government has asked registered medical practitioners (RMPs) not to give treatment to patients coming with Covid-19 symptoms.

Health minister Eatala Rajender asked them to send patients having high fever, cold, throat pain and cough to the nearest primary health centre, area, mandal and district headquarters hospitals. The minister said this when a delegation of joint action committee of RMPs, private medical practitioners, community paramedics and grameena vaidyula sanghala samakhya called on him. There are over 50,000 RMPs with a majority of them practising in the rural areas and tribal hamlets.

The medical and health department authorities made it clear that RMPs should not treat Covid-19 patients after reports of a couple of RMPs being booked by police for treating patients with coronavirus symptoms came. They said there is a risk of the virus spreading through the RMPs if treatment is offered at their clinics without government monitoring.

Appreciating the RMPs’ services in extending medical treatment to the poor and needy in interior parts of rural hinterland, the minister said the government acknowledges their contribution in spreading awareness among rural masses on polio immunisation, prevention of AIDS and other public health programmes. RMP Doctors’ Association president S Venkat Reddy told TOI that their services could be utilised in spreading awareness about the symptoms of coronavirus and preventions to be taken against seasonal and other diseases.

“The minister has assured us that the government will come out with a training module for us after seeking approval of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao,” he said.