75 doctors, 40 healthcare workers test Covid-positive in Hyderabad

The “corona warriors” are finding themselves at high risk in Hyderabad as 75 PG doctors and 40 healthcare workers have been tested Covid-positive. The healthcare workers belong to government-run hospitals in Hyderabad such as Osmania General Hospital, NIMS, Gandhi Hospital, Niloufer Hospital and King Koti hospital. The Osmania Medical College (OMC) had to be vacated due to coronavirus, but the government is yet to allocate the junior doctors right accommodation. Around 400 doctors and staff are in quarantine.

Also, about 20 media personnel are found to be Covidpositive. A young journalist, Manoj, too had died of the virus after battling with it in Gandhi Hospital. The journalist was working with Telugu news Channel TV5 and admitted to the hospital a few days ago. “He was shifted to ICU after complaining of breathlessness. He died at 9.37 am on Sunday,” said Dr M. Raja Rao, superintendent of Gandhi Hospital. Another journalist is in critical condition.

Police have also tested positive for Covid-19.

The doctors blame the government for this situation. Well-known doctor Prabhu Kumar Challagali told The Daily Guardian, “All the frontline workers should be tested because if a doctor is a coronavirus carrier, he can spread it to up to 500 patients as is the case with other frontline workers. I demand an autonomous body — President of India as head, Governors as members — should be constituted to deal with Covid crisis. Several existing bodies are behaving in a biased manner and supporting the government. When frontline warriors fall prey to Covid-19 they don’t care. The government announced that they have lakhs of PPE kits, masks but where are they?

The OMC hostel had to be vacated due to the spread of coronavirus. The government and politicians spread lies. To put a full stop to all these, a constitutional autonomous body is the need of the hour.”

Negligence of the government will impact the whole community since 70% of doctors are junior and resident doctors. If they vacate hostels and go to their homes, it will impact the medical fraternity badly as the hospitals cannot function.

Dr Vijayender, ex-Chairman of Telangana Junior Doctors Association, told The Daily Guardian, “Due to government’s failure, frontline workers are getting affected. There are no PPE kits and N95 masks for doctors. We complained as well but it was of no use. The government cannot even give gloves to doctors. Recently one pregnant patient tested positive for Covid-19 had come to Gandhi Hospital, the doctors could not provide quarantine room to her. Gandhi Hospital was made as Covid-19 hospital as Osmania and others are heavily crowded with patients. Keeping six feet distance is not possible. The government should find a solution or more doctors are going to be its victims.”

On the other hand, the Telangana High Court’s order of testing the dead is not being implemented. The government is not revealing the number of tests conducted every day. The authorities say that they are yet to receive the orders.