On Thursday, 17 healthcare professionals of the ESIC hospital in K.K. Nagar complained that they were sent for testing for COVID-19 infection to a Corporation testing centre, and were appalled at the way things were being handled there.

They felt that they might have had fresh exposure to the virus, due to the casual manner in which the tests were done.

The doctors were reportedly sent for the test after it was discovered that an anaesthetist had come in contact with a relative who had tested positive.

Segregation of patients

At the Corporation Centre in Virugambakkam, they were made to wait despite having an appointment but the shocker was when they discovered there was no segregation for symptomatic patients who were also there for a test.

A section of the hospital staff said though the ESI hospital has a well-equipped ENT Department which could conduct the tests, it has not been designated for COVID-19 treatment.

Meanwhile health officials said there was no compulsion on anyone to visit a public health care facility, they could test at private clinics or private hospitals too if they so wished.

On Friday, ESIC hospital’s Dean Sowmya Sampath urged the doctors to meet her in person “in small numbers”, and that she would try to “facilitate things” for them.