CHENNAI: “I was staying with my grandparents in a rented house near Nanganallur. While I was away, a few residents association members asked my grandfather to tell me to move out. They started creating an issue after reports of doctors being told to vacate houses in rest of the country appeared,” said a government doctor. He added that he moved out to his aunt’s place because he did not want to make an issue out of it. Though doctors and nurses are on the forefront of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, a section of them are facing discrimination from house owners and neighbours.
According to sources, two doctors working at Government Stanley Medical College Hospital were also told to move out from their rented flat. “We don’t need claps or clangs, what we want is support and encouragement at these difficult times,” said the doctors. The Health department has constituted teams of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff to work in isolation wards on rotation. After four to seven days of duty, one team will quarantine themselves at homes, and then a fresh team is posted.
The Health department on Tuesday instructed all deans of medical colleges, and the Joint Director of Health Services to make necessary arrangements for those on rotation in isolation ward, for staying inside hospital premises to reduce the risk of infection.