CHANDIGARH: The PGIMER has cancelled all its national and international conferences as a preventive measure to contain the spread of novel coronavirus (nCoV), also known as Covid-19. While the conferences and meetings have been cancelled, doctors are also getting calls from friends and relatives to arrange for hand sanitisers and masks.
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“We have cancelled all big plans involving travel and also large gathering within the campus. Only small meetings or workshop will be held,” said PGI director Prof Jagat Ram, who has also cancelled his travel plans. He said, “I have also cancelled my conferences. Only internal workshops where the faculty are less in number will be allowed.”
To encourage medical update, the PGI annually sanctions one international and four national conferences. These are all funded by the institute, while there are additional conferences that faculty can attend on their own after an invitation from the organisers. This year, eight faculty were approved by the PGI for international conferences being held in Japan, US, Germany, Austria, New Zealand, Amsterdam and Uruguay. Due to non availability of hand sanitisers and masks in the market, the PGI doctors are getting calls to get the protective equipments.
“We are getting calls to arrange for hand sanitisers and masks. In fact, soap and water are equally protective. Masks are required only for those who have flu and not for healthy people,” said Dr Uttam Thakur, president of the association of resident doctors, PGI.
Convener medical cell of the BJP Prince has written to the Union health minister and the NPPA chairman regarding this issue. “Rates of hand sanitisers is being escalated three times and in times to come it will increase six times. The companies are unable to supply it as the raw material comes from China. So whatever supply is available, it is being sold unregulatedly,” said Prince.
Coronavirus outbreak live updates
“We have cancelled all big plans involving travel and also large gathering within the campus. Only small meetings or workshop will be held,” said PGI director Prof Jagat Ram, who has also cancelled his travel plans. He said, “I have also cancelled my conferences. Only internal workshops where the faculty are less in number will be allowed.”
To encourage medical update, the PGI annually sanctions one international and four national conferences. These are all funded by the institute, while there are additional conferences that faculty can attend on their own after an invitation from the organisers. This year, eight faculty were approved by the PGI for international conferences being held in Japan, US, Germany, Austria, New Zealand, Amsterdam and Uruguay. Due to non availability of hand sanitisers and masks in the market, the PGI doctors are getting calls to get the protective equipments.
“We are getting calls to arrange for hand sanitisers and masks. In fact, soap and water are equally protective. Masks are required only for those who have flu and not for healthy people,” said Dr Uttam Thakur, president of the association of resident doctors, PGI.
Convener medical cell of the BJP Prince has written to the Union health minister and the NPPA chairman regarding this issue. “Rates of hand sanitisers is being escalated three times and in times to come it will increase six times. The companies are unable to supply it as the raw material comes from China. So whatever supply is available, it is being sold unregulatedly,” said Prince.
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