At least 11 junior doctors (post-graduate students) working in Niloufer Hospital gave their swab samples to test for coronavirus after they got exposed to a three-year-old male child who was detected with COVID-19 on Sunday.
Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) members threatened not to attend duties across all government hospitals in the State from Tuesday unless Personal Protection Equipments (PPE) are provided as per guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The junior doctors allege that PPE is not being provided to the PGs attending duties in emergency rooms from the past three days. Meanwhile, the hospital authorities have denied the allegation.
The toddler suffering from blood disorders, cold, cough, breathlessness, was brought to the hospital.
“As the child did not have any travel history, or contact with a COVID-19 patient, he was admitted in the emergency room. When the toddler developed pneumonia, he was shifted to Isolation Ward on Friday and samples were sent for tests. Up on testing positive for coronavirus on Sunday, the patient was shifted to Gandhi Hospital. All doctors and staff who were in the emergency room when the toddler was there and have symptoms, were asked to get tested,” an official from the hospital said.
President of TJUDAs Dr. K.U.N. Vishnu said that 11 of them developed mild symptoms like cough, cold, gave nasopharyngeal, and throat swab samples were sent for tests.
“We were not provided with PPEs. Around 20 junior doctors checked the patient. The 11 people who gave samples are under home quarantine. As doctors, we want to serve people, our country in this crisis period. But please give us protective gear. If they are provided, we will attend any number of cases,” Dr. Vishnu said.
However, the hospital authorities said that PPEs were handed over to representatives of PGs for distribution. “We kept them at three places in the hospital, including in emergency pharmacy room, for anyone to take,” the official said.
It was learnt that instructions were issued that PGs will liaison with superintendents in distribution of PPEs. The junior doctors can take issues to notice of the superintendents, if there are any.
The TJUDA members, meanwhile, submitted a representation through email to Director of Medical Education Dr K Ramesh Reddy informing him that they will come to respective departments but will not attend duties from March 31. They stated that they were assured of the protective gear when they met the official on March 23.
They stated in the representation that the decision is in the interest of common public because one doctor with coronavirus can act as carrier and spread to hundred of patients as happened in Bhilwara, Rajasthan. “Also, we are losing critical care providers to quarantine or isolation ,” the TJUDAs president stated.
