HYDERABAD: With the state government still sitting on its decision to provide accommodation to doctors working across government hospitals, doctors fear that hospitals might soon have to stop functioning with an increasing number of them going into quarantine.
On Saturday, after seven doctors at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) tested positive for Covid-19, the out-patient and in-patient services of five departments at the hospital were shut for three days for sanitation purposes. The five departments medical gastroenterology, surgical gastroenterology, urology, cardiology & surgical oncology will remain shut between June 7 and 9.
With the seven new cases, a total of 71 healthcare workers have tested positive for Covid-19. This includes 57 doctors across six government hospitals : Osmania Medical College and Hospital, NIMS, Gandhi Hospital, Modern Government Maternity Hospital, Niloufer Hospital, King Koti Hospital. As a result over 400 doctors and staff are in quarantine.
“The government orders to provide accommodation to doctors in hotels has not been implemented. We have represented the issue to the health department and now with hostels turning into hotspots, it’s all the more important to prevent a chain of transmission,” said Dr G Srinivas, president, Resident Doctors Association.
When asked, Dr K Ramesh Reddy, Director of Medical Education, Telangana said, "We are finalising it (hotel accommodation plan). Till then we will provide safe alternate accommodation."
However, this failed to assuage the fears of doctors who say that the spread might have serious consequences since junior and resident doctorsd account for 70% of the doctors’ strength. “If the situation persists, the hospitals will stop functioning due to inadequate staff to,” said a senior resident at the MGMH, Petlaburj.
Under the current circumstances, the need for accommodation is more than ever, doctors stressed. “The condition is deteriorating now since hostels themselves have become hotspots for widespread transmission among doctors. We cannot go on staying in the hostels as we have a common mess, common water source etc. We live in constant fear. I don’t understand how long the government will take to make a decision,” said a junior doctor from Osmania Medical College, a current hotspot of transmission.
On Saturday, after seven doctors at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) tested positive for Covid-19, the out-patient and in-patient services of five departments at the hospital were shut for three days for sanitation purposes. The five departments medical gastroenterology, surgical gastroenterology, urology, cardiology & surgical oncology will remain shut between June 7 and 9.
With the seven new cases, a total of 71 healthcare workers have tested positive for Covid-19. This includes 57 doctors across six government hospitals : Osmania Medical College and Hospital, NIMS, Gandhi Hospital, Modern Government Maternity Hospital, Niloufer Hospital, King Koti Hospital. As a result over 400 doctors and staff are in quarantine.
“The government orders to provide accommodation to doctors in hotels has not been implemented. We have represented the issue to the health department and now with hostels turning into hotspots, it’s all the more important to prevent a chain of transmission,” said Dr G Srinivas, president, Resident Doctors Association.
When asked, Dr K Ramesh Reddy, Director of Medical Education, Telangana said, "We are finalising it (hotel accommodation plan). Till then we will provide safe alternate accommodation."
However, this failed to assuage the fears of doctors who say that the spread might have serious consequences since junior and resident doctorsd account for 70% of the doctors’ strength. “If the situation persists, the hospitals will stop functioning due to inadequate staff to,” said a senior resident at the MGMH, Petlaburj.
Under the current circumstances, the need for accommodation is more than ever, doctors stressed. “The condition is deteriorating now since hostels themselves have become hotspots for widespread transmission among doctors. We cannot go on staying in the hostels as we have a common mess, common water source etc. We live in constant fear. I don’t understand how long the government will take to make a decision,” said a junior doctor from Osmania Medical College, a current hotspot of transmission.
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