Final-year MBBS students to join Gurugram’s Covid-19 fight

GURUGRAM: The state government has approved the deployment of 96 final-year MBBS students and 39 paramedical staff from SGT Medical College Hospital and Research Institute in Gurugram. These students will be a part of the health department’s surveillance teams and carry out contact tracing and antigen testing in the district.
A total of 1,106 final-year MBBS students from 11 government and private medical colleges of the state have been directed to report to the civil surgeons of their districts.

“We received a letter from the state government on Sunday stating that final-year MBBS students should report to the civil surgeon. They will render services as required and will be trained by the health department. Since the students are not in college at present — they have been on vacation since mid-March — we have communicated the order to them. We have told them to report to the civil surgeon as soon as possible,” a faculty member of SGT Medical College told TOI. While the students were asked to report to the civil surgeons of their districts by Monday, only a few nursing students turned up in Gurugram. Officials attributed the low turnout to students being on vacation and said more would join soon.
Sources said when students came to know about the order, their parents got concerned and called the health department with queries. Parents questioned how the students would come to report to duty since transport services are limited, and also raised the issue of their accommodation.
The health department, meanwhile, said if students don’t stay in their hostels, accommodation will be provided to them. “We expect all final-year MBBS students and paramedical students to join us soon. They will be utilised for active surveillance and antigen testing. Their boarding and lodging will be discussed with the authorities. If they can stay in their hostels, we will arrange transportation facility for them to the places where they will be deployed. Otherwise, we will make alternative arrangements for them,” newly appointed Gurugram chief medical officer Dr Virender Yadav said.
Asked when the students would join, Yadav said, “We have sent a communication to the medical college and asked the management to join us immediately.” Health department officials said the schedule of the students’ training has not been drawn yet. Since they are in their final year, they won’t need elaborate training for surveillance. “They are not volunteers, they are medical students. So, they won’t require extensive training,” he said.