The Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru
OPD doctors at Bengaluru's Indira Gandhi work without PPE kits
The OPD staff be it doctors, nurses, group D workers wear only N95 masks.
BENGALURU: Doctors in the Out Patient Department section of Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health are scared about contracting coronavirus as they are working without PPE kits. The emergency, casualty and staff in the COVID-19 ward are however given PPE kits. Three of the staff have already tested positive for the virus in the institute.
"We have children coming in with fever, cold and cough who are screened in the OPD and then shifted to the COVID-19 suspect ward. If they test positive they are shifted to a designated COVID-19 hospital.
We are not denying admission to anyone but we need to keep ourselves safe," said a doctor seeking anonymity.
We are not denying admission to anyone but we need to keep ourselves safe," said a doctor seeking anonymity.
The OPD staff be it doctors, nurses, group D workers wear only N95 masks. Moreover, with change in quarantine rules, the doctors end up working without observing a period of self-isolation. Owing to shortage of staff, the earlier quarantine period of 14 days has been relaxed.
"New ICMR guidelines said that those doctors who are wearing PPE kits and test negative for COVID-19, need not quarantine themselves. But what about those without PPE kits? This is like sending a soldier to
war without ammunition," the doctor said.
war without ammunition," the doctor said.
With insufficient quarantine rooms, doctors are at time asked to quarantine at their homes, thereby risking their family members as well. These doctors are also made to work with non-COVID children who come to the hospital with their caretakers, thereby posing a risk to them as well.
"This is scary especially since community spread has started and we don't know from whom we can contract the infection. It is a crime to be exposing ourselves to non-COVID patients as well," the doctor said, adding that inadequate facilities are a denial of basic rights.
However, Dr Sanjay KS, director of IGICH denied that there is any shortage of PPE kits.
"Those who are on COVID-19 duty in the ward are given PPEs. Those in OPDs do not require them and they wear surgical gloves and masks which is sufficient. The casualty and emergency section staff also wear PPEs," Dr. Sanjay said.
"Those who are on COVID-19 duty in the ward are given PPEs. Those in OPDs do not require them and they wear surgical gloves and masks which is sufficient. The casualty and emergency section staff also wear PPEs," Dr. Sanjay said.
"As per new ICMR rules, 5 days after coming in contact with a COVID-19 positive person ,a swab is taken from doctors and if it is negative they can come back to work," he added.