NEW DELHI: Doctors with all major hospitals in the city are testing positive for COVID-19 which may soon impact healthcare facilities badly and lead to a major staff crunch.
At least 320 doctors have tested COVID positive at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Delhi so far. At Safdarjung hospital over 200 doctors, 100 at Ram Manohar Lohia, 40 at Lok Nayak and around 250 at Lady Hardinge.
The situation has turned worse for doctors at Lady Hardinge with the hospital administration's new guidelines stating that healthcare workers who have come in contact with COVID-positive patients will not go in isolation, and will have to continue work with a tight-fitted mask and maximum possible social distancing, irrespective of the degree of contact.
According to doctors working at the hospital, such decisions come despite shortage for staffers at the hospital.
However, the circular issued on Wednesday is in line with directions of the Union Health Ministry which said that the healthcare workers in Central government-run hospitals will not quarantine after coming in contact with colleagues or other COVID-positive patients.
Dr Manish Jangra, media spokesperson, Resident Doctors Association, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, said the doctors have already been working at less strength due to the delay in NEET-PG counselling.
The government needs to recruit more doctors and healthcare staffers and revise its guidelines. "Government should revise quarantine guidelines for healthcare workers and resident doctors should be called in for 1/3rd or 1/2 numbers in a weekly shift so that other doctors can be there for backup support," he said.
MBBS students across Delhi called for physical exams on January 10. Meanwhile, a total of 555 MBBS students of IP university are worried due to their exam which will be conducted physically on campus. Students of Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia, Baba Saheb Ambedkar University Medical College, Army College of Medical Sciences and Hindu Rao, will give the exam.
Delhi Disaster Management Authority allows gurdwara visit on Sunday
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Saturday allowed devotees to visit gurdwaras in the city on the occasion of Prakash Purab of Guru Govind Singh on January 9. Amid rising COVID cases in the city, the authorities had allowed religious places to remain open in Delhi but visitors are not permitted.
However, the DDMA granted a special permission for the occasion of Sikh guru’s birth anniversary, subject to adherence with COVID norms
