JNIMS serving public despite manpower shortage: MS
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 15 2021: With its available manpower and other logistics during Covid-19 pandemic, the JNIMS has been serving people of the state while the Government of Manipur has been supporting the institute in all possible ways.

In a statement, JNIMS hospital medical superintendent Dr Kh Lokeshwor revealed that the medical institute has been facing various challenges amid the Covid-19 crisis situation due to shortage of doctors in the state.

Referring to lukewarm response to its notification for recruitment of junior residents (JR) advertised recently to substantiate shortage of medical practitioners, he informed that out of the 84 post of JRs advertised, only 25 joined for duty.

However, the institute has made certain strategies to tackle the pandemic despite scarcity of manpower, he said.

The statement also conveyed that JNIMS has been managing Covid as well as non-Covid/emergencies.

Many departments like obstetrics, Gynaecology, Haematology, Chest Medicine, Emergency OT, etc., are being managed by the available staff.

Medical Officers/JRs have been clubbed into three teams.

One team will join Covid duty for 6 days on completion of which they will join their respective departments for non-Covid duty for 12 days.

The institute is aware that the period between Covid duties is less compared to the norms being followed in premier institutes like AllMS, PGl Chandigarh where there are enough PGs and SRs.

This has been made necessary for the doctors of the institute to work harder in providing service to the people of the state, the MS explained, adding that JNIMS has been managing three Covid Wards with beds besides 15 ICUs for post-Covid related cases.

According to the statement, no new first year PG students are selected throughout the country for this year thereby reducing the PGT strength to 2/3 of its original strength.

Medicine SR, Anaesthesia SR and newly passed out PGs appointed as SR (12 out of 19) are taking rounds in the Covid wards as most of the Covid patients reporting to JNIMS are with moderate to severe symptoms.

Besides, the consultants of medicine departments are made available 24x7 hours by a separate departmental roster providing service to the patients who are reported to JNIMS.

Other departments contributing their PGs for the Covid pool have duty roster for Covid duties over and above their non-Covid tasks consisting of consultants.

This is to deal with Covid patients having Covid related complications needing interventions like deliveries, caesarean section, appendicectomy, etc.

Hence, the available pool of doctors has been rendering their service fully in the interest of the patients during these Covid-19 pandemic days, said Dr Lokeshwor.

He also informed that the norms of Quarantine after Covid duties depend on institute to institute.

Even in premier institute like PGl Chandigarh, they are given quarantine for 2 days and join non-Covid ward after that.

PPE is provided for all the healthcare service providers during their duty hours.

Proper trainings had been given regarding donning and doffing in proper way for all health care workers, doctors, nurses, multi-tasking staff before joining their Covid duties.

Moreover, limited time period of duty with fully protected measures are considered as of no high-risk exposure.

This is evident from the fact that JNIMS encountered only 12 out of 84 staffers, contracting Covid-19 while assigned duty in the Covid wards.

However, the risk still remains for those who are working in general wards and emergency duties.

This is the professional duties of the health care providers for service to the general public during this Covid pandemic days.

Hence, proper use of PPE for less duration of exposure (duty hours), proper doffing and donning of PPE (during duty in Covid wards) and following proper Covid-19 safety protocols in all places including the duty sites reduce the risk of contracting the Covid-19 infection.

This is the sacrifice of the healthcare service for the general population of the state during these pandemic days, added Dr Lokeshwor.

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