THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government’s decision to rope in AYUSH doctors, nurses and other staffers at the Covid First-Line Treatment Centres (CFLTC) has evoked mixed response from the respective sectors. It turned out that respective associations were planning to knock at the doors of the government with an individual charter of demands. With this, the plan to bring practitioners of other streams of medicine for treating positive patients at CFLTCs is going to be a challenge for the government.
It was on Friday night that the health department came out with an advisory mentioning the participation of AYUSH practitioners especially doctors, nurses and other staff from ayurveda and homoeopathy streams at the CFLTCs.“Ayurveda and homoeopathy doctors may be drawn from respective district-wise human resource pools provided in consultation with district-level ayurveda and homoeopathy DMO. Also, ayurveda nurses and other staff and homeopathy nurses and other staff should also become part of the CFLTCs,” reads an excerpt of the advisory undersigned by Rajan Khobragade, state health principal secretary.
At the same time, one major demand that associations like Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) and the Kerala Government Homoeo Medical Officers’ Association (KGHMOA) set forth is to utilise their stream of medicine at the CFLTCs even for a limited number of patients.Said Dr Sadath Dinakar, general secretary, AMAI, “We are happy to become part of the CFLTCs. But it should be ensured that ayurveda institutions’ functioning doesn’t get hit.
Also, an opportunity should be provided to Ayurveda for treating patients at the CFLTCs. However, Dr Muhammad Masani of KGMMOA said that the advisory lacks clarity as it does not mention the role of AYUSH practitioners at CFLTCs. He is also of the demand that homoeopathy doctors should be provided with an opportunity to treat patients.
Setting up more CFLTCs is of highest priority
● From the government’s perspective, with positive cases spiralling in the state and with a majority of them turning to be asymptomatic ones, setting up more CFLTCs is of the highest priority.
● However, managing the temporary health facility is nothing short of a challenge due to limited human resources.