Covid-19 Infected Patients Should Not Be Denied Surgery, If Needed: Health Ministry

Union Health Ministry said that the current variant of Covid-19 has not reported any complications or deaths in patients infected with the contagious virus.

(Representative Image/Getty)

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing uptick in daily Covid caseload in various states of the country, Health Ministry on Thursday said that the current Coronavirus patients should not be denied surgery if needed, as the present data indicates that it is safe and does not associate with higher chances of complications or deaths.

While addressing a press conference, Union Health Ministry said that the current variant of Covid-19 has not reported any complications or deaths in patients infected with the contagious virus.

"The present data indicate that unlike evidence during earlier Covid surge, with the current variant surgery is safe & not associated with higher chances of complications or deaths in Covid positive patients. These patients who need surgery need not be denied it," the ministry said. 

The present data indicates that unlike evidence during earlier Covid surge, with the current variant surgery is safe & not associated with higher chances of complications or deaths in Covid positive patients. These patients who need surgery need not be denied it: Health Ministry pic.twitter.com/a2Rl7qPMS7

— ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2022

The government has also directed doctors and hospitals to not deny surgery to any such Covid patients.

The statement comes amid the ongoing debate over risks involved in performing surgery on patients infected with novel Coronavirus. During first and second waves, several experts and medical professional claimed that surgeries on patients infected with Covid would face complications and sometimes lead to death.

During the second wave, hospitals were not allowed to perform surgeries on patients infected with Covid-19. Only emergency surgeries were permitted during this time that saw most number of Covid-related deaths.