Military Covid hospitals to deploy veterinary staff on admin duties

In order to provide some additional support to the frontline medical personnel of the armed forces deployed in the various hospitals set up to treat Covid patients, the Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) has now requisitioned personnel from the Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) to assist them.

The RVC will be making available 18 officers and 116 Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and Other Ranks (ORs) to the military hospitals set up for Covid treatment.

As per a letter of DGAFMS dated May 8, accessed by The Indian Express, orders have been issued to make available these veterinary doctors and paramedical staff to the Covid hospitals which are being staffed by armed forces medical personnel.

“The country has been experiencing the second surge of Covid pandemic since the past one month which needs an accelerated optimised time bound synergetic action at a national level to enhance the management with the aim of reducing mortality and morbidity,” the letter states.

When contacted, a senior officer in Army HQs confirmed the development and said that the RVC doctors will provide administrative duties in Covid hospitals and will relieve the frontline medical doctors for better services.

“The paramedical staff of RVC will work as laboratory assistants, for collection of samples, communication with families, inventory management, etc. Basically they will work to provide some backend support to frontline Covid warriors,” the officer added.

In order to boost the number of medical staff, DGAFMS has already passed orders for contractual recruitment of recently retired doctors.

In the interim, the release from service of Short Service Commissioned doctors who completed their terms of engagement has also been delayed and they have been given an extension.