The Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, has said it would start phone consultation for patients, to contain the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Dr Amina Bello-Mukhtar, Head of Clinical Pharmacy and also a medical practitioner with the hospital, disclosed this on Thursday in Kaduna.

Bello-Mukhtar said the management of the hospital introduced phone consultation, to ensure social distancing and prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

According to Bello, telephone numbers will  be made available to all patients to call and consult a doctor, diagnosis made and drugs prescribed.

“The Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the lockdown has affected many of  our health workers, so, we have reduced the number of people who visit the hospital and we usually do not admit people except emergency cases.

“Doctors and other health workers have time schedule and work in shifts because we don’t have much patients in the hospital,” she said.

The doctor, however, explained that  pregnant women due for delivery,  come to the hospital to have their babies.

She said patients for ante-natal services were given numbers to call for consultation.

According to her, some people are afraid of visiting the hospital, due to the COVID -19 pandemic,  resulting in a decrease in the large crowd normally found in public hospitals.

She noted that only the Accident and Emergency Unit worked 24 hours every day of the week. (NAN)