THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The alarming increase in Covid-19 infection among healthcare workers is turning into an issue as the state capital stares at community spread. The last few days have seen a rise in the number of hospital-acquired infections at Government Medical College Hospital, the only-dedicated Covid-19 care centre in the district to treat critically ill patients. On Wednesday, three resident doctors, one house surgeon and many healthcare staff tested positive, highlighting the need for effective intervention in containing the spread.
Around 100 healthcare workers and other employees of the hospital, who were identified as primary contacts, were sent on quarantine. As per the statistics with the district authorities, over 20 healthcare workers have tested Covid-19 positive till day at various private and public hospitals in the district. Sources said the doctors and house surgeon turned positive after performing surgery on a patient. “The patient was initially negative but later turned positive. Immunocompromised patients are likely to get the infection from the hospital,” said an official. The situation was similar at Fort Government Hospital where three healthcare workers contracted the disease. Around 10 workers of a premium private healthcare institute too had tested positive recently.
Break the trend
Health experts said immediate intervention should be made to break the trend wherein health workers contract the disease from hospitals. As per guidelines, testing is done only on health workers involved in Covid care with ILI (Influenza-like illness) symptoms. This is besides the random testing done through sentinel surveillance. Kerala Medical Post Graduate Association (MCH-Unit) president Dr Nidhin George Kodiyan said directives have been given to every resident to be on high alert. “Over 100 healthcare workers are the primary contacts of positive individuals. The residents and staff who are in the primary and secondary contact list would be tested. We have advised the residents to take necessary precautions and adhere to strict social distancing,” said Dr Nidhin George Kodiyan.
Call to change norms
With the situation aggravating, the district health authorities have urged the state to test all symptomatic healthcare workers in both government and private institutions, including those working in non-Covid settings. “Lack of awareness among housekeeping and other staff is one main issue. Hospitals and clinics treating non-Covid patients are at higher risk as there is no testing mechanism. The state government should immediately permit antigen tests at hospitals and clinics attending to non-Covid patients too. Currently, the antigen test is being used only for field surveillance,” said an official.
Resident docs protest
PG resident doctors of MCH, who are in the frontline in the fight against the pandemic, have expressed their objections against the decision to deploy them on periphery duty. The association has given a letter to the MCH principal and has urged the authorities to rescind the decision. According to the association, resident doctors on Covid duty are being posted to non-Covid work without adhering to quarantine or off duty norms, posing an infection cluster threat.
“Private, primary and secondary government hospitals are not admitting cases and referring them to the MCH. We are running the non-Covid routine tertiary care treatment without fail. Besides, an average of 100 resident doctors are directly or indirectly involved in Covid services alone. It’s unfair to deploy us for periphery duty,” said Dr Nidhin George.
According to the association, the resident doctors have been working round the clock since the outbreak. “Rising number of unlinked Covid-19 positive cases is also posing threat and multiple resident doctors had to go into quarantine. We don’t want this system to collapse and external Covid duty will affect the ongoing efforts at the MCH,” he added.
Many positives
Around 100 healthcare workers and staff, who were identified as primary contacts, were sent on quarantine. As per the statistics with the district authorities, over 20 healthcare workers have tested Covid-19 positive till day.