Data shows over 500 docs, nurses Covid-19 +ve in city

Nagpur: While a separate count of officials, prisoners, and citizens had been managed by respective departments and agencies, no separate record for the front line workers — doctors, nurses and health officials — seems to have been maintained.
On Saturday, the civil surgeon shared data following TOI queries.
As per the data, 506 doctors, nurses and health officials have tested positive in the city till date.
However, the civil surgeon clarified that the data may not match actual numbers of infected professionals. Among the other compiled data, the administration maintained record of Central Jail where 200 prisoners and around 60 staffers were hit by Covid. Similarly, as per police department, 248 cops have been infected with two of them dying. Hence, the number of health workers seems quite high even though it may not be actual figure.
Also, the revelation suggests not much importance has been accorded on protecting the health workers despite they playing the most crucial role during the pandemic. The development comes in the wake of a nurse dying amid allegations of negligence from a hospital in city.
A government doctor said such data is crucial in better management of the pandemic and must be maintained.
TOI spoke to some doctors regarding the high prevalence of Covid infection among health workers despite they following strict precautionary measures.
Consultant pulmonologist Dr Vikram Rathi said doctors and paramedics are the most exposed. “But somewhere a few of paramedics get a bit casual because maybe they fail to gauge the intensity of the disease. If one health care worker is infected, he is likely to spreads it to many others. Also, during the gap between OPD and ward hours, they don’t wear PPE kits. Community spread only worsens it,” he said.
Dr Anshul Chadda, director of Aureus Institute of Medical Sciences, said, “The viral load health workers face at workplace is quite high in addition to the risk outside. ICU critical patients coughing and sneezing will emit higher level of load. The exposure of common people is basically to asymptomatic persons. Yet, there are certain factors like extreme caution to be taken while removing PPE kits and doffing technique need to be followed strictly,” he said.
Dr Chadda also said health workers are tested early and frequently.
Dr Sadashiv Bhole, one of the directors of Seven Star which is a DCH, said whatever precautions are taken, there is still risk. “PPE kit is not 100% full proof. Globally there have been cases where people took all precautions, but got infected,” he said.
General and paedearitc surgeon Dr Pradeep Arora said health care workers can’t distance themselves from patients. “It is an occupational hazard,” he said.
Vidarbha Hospitals Association (VHA) secretary Dr Alok Umre said they had pointed out this issue during the meeting with Mumbai experts led by BMC chief IS Chahal. “We reiterated our demand that one or at the most two big cover centres are needed. Here, maximum inputs with limited doctors and nurses, can be provided. If all human resource is used everywhere across the city, then the health care system will collapse. Instead of spending crores on jumbo hospital, the amount can be invested in existing hospital like GMCH,” he said.
Dr Umre added that the job prospects too are not encouraging. “Who will risk their life and work for 3 to 4 month tenure at the salary the administration is offering. Again, I would say Mumbai’s Nair Hospital was successful because it converted all beds in Covid management,” he said.