New Delhi: A doctors’ body called the United Resident and Doctor’s Association India has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking for his “urgent intervention” on issues faced by health workers treating coronavirus patients.
The letter claims that over 83 resident doctors at Patna’s Nalanda Medical College, who had been exposed to a patient who later tested positive for the coronavirus, are “suspected of being positive” themselves. The letter is signed by Dr Manu Gautam, president of the URDA.
“There was a patient who was diagnosed positive for coronavirus a week or so after his treatment in Nalanda Medical College in Patna. During that time, many residents came in contact with him since they shared a common mess,” Dr Gautam told ThePrint.
“Later, most of them started showing symptoms… After which all the 83 doctors went to the administration requesting whether they could quarantine themselves,” he said, adding that they were denied permission.
Gautam alleged that the doctors have neither been tested so far, nor been quarantined. The letter requests the PM to “direct authorities not to ignore such grievous situations”.
Calls to the superintendent and the hospital manager at the Nalanda Medical College went unanswered. ThePrint has sent them text messages, and will update with their comments when they respond.
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Inadequate protective equipment
According to the letter, doctors and nurses aren’t being provided with adequate masks, gloves, sanitisers and other personal protective equipment. It claims that “asking a health care professional to work without these essentials is like asking a soldier to go on border for a fight without a gun”.
Gautam said the doctors had written a letter to the administration asking for hazmat suits, masks and gloves, but the request was rejected.
The letter requests PM Modi to “pass strict orders to all government hospitals, private hospitals and medical colleges to provide essential safety equipment to all those who are working in hospitals without fail, so that our soldiers in white can fight this threat without any doubt or fear”.
Landlords evicting healthcare professionals
The URDA letter also requests authorities to impose stricter rules on landlords forcefully evicting healthcare professionals. “Though a circular has been issued by the government of NCT Delhi, but still the situation doesn’t seem to be improving,” it states.
Gautam said no response has been received from the Prime Minister yet.
ThePrint also tried to contact the Union health ministry’s spokesperson for a comment, and will update this report when he does.
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Oh no! . The young doctors are staying away from their families and there’s no one to monitor them. It’s the responsibility of the college authorities to take care of their health. This will demotivate other doctors to do service to mankind. I urge and request the concerned to please look into the matter and take necessary action. I also urge our honourable Prime Minister to please help the health care workers to help the public during this most crucial time???
Testing has started in several cities. So the doctors need to be tested ASAP and if the results turn out to be positive then should go for quarantine!!
I am a junior doctor in NMCH.. Atleast 83 PG doctor who exposed to Corona patient asked for self quarantine but principal and superintendent deny… There is no mask sanitizer glove and any basic needs.. Nmch Me nodal center for Corona but shortage of KIT. When ask for kit gloves and sanitizer principle health secretary threatened On video conference … ITNA SE HI KAM CHLAO WHO NORM K ANUSAR B’S GLOVES OR SURGICAL MASK SE KAM CHAL SKTA H.. KAM NHI KROGE TO 2 4 KA REGISTRATION TO CANCEL KRWA HI SKTE H…. Doctor will be suicide bomber for society if he not get the proper protection equipment
As per the guidelines, anybody who has been in contact of a positive patient has to be tested, and has to be quarantined. That is what followed in Maharashtra too.
Govt. means the Medical Authorities at Patna have to follow it and do maximum testing of contacts of positive patient and isolate them, to prevent further spread.
Hahaha joke of the day……..
Mr. Ramya Krishna, is it a joke for you, that the caretakers of such a dreadful disease before which all great powers of world have kneeled, be left for uncared. If govt don’t pay attention to these doctors then who will provide care? Already manpower is scarce, it will aggravate the situation and disease will spread rampantly.
And when Mr. Ramya disease will catch you, nobody will be there to care for you…..
This seems to be a dubious post. The fact is one of the letters has a signature asking them to self quarantine and another has this asking for PPEs . More surprising has been the fact that no media house is picking this up even after 3 days since it was posted. Cannot vouch for the authenticity. The article here provides no evidence of any research being done . Its copied entirely what is mentioned in the letter. Expect the Print to uncover the truth rather than presenting info from 3 days ago already on twitter
Oh no! . The young doctors are staying away from their families and there’s no one to monitor them. It’s the responsibility of the college authorities to take care of their health. This will demotivate other doctors to do service to mankind. I urge and request the concerned to please look into the matter and take necessary action. I also urge our honourable Prime Minister to please help the health care workers to help the public during this most crucial time???