Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday expressed concern over instances of healthcare providers, including doctors, getting infected with COVID-19 in the State.
This points to a probable breach in maintaining infection control practices, Mr. Patnaik said while addressing a technical workshop for healthcare personnel through videoconferencing.
Mr. Patnaik’s comment assumes significance in the wake of 14 doctors and several paramedical staff testing positive for the virus in different hospitals in the State. About 40 Health Department employees, including the Chief District Medical Officer of Rayagada district, were asked to undergo home quarantine on Wednesday following detection of a COVID-19 positive case in the CDMO office. The Chief Minister directed the Health Department to ensure that adequate supplies for personal protection are available.
‘Most valuable asset’
Terming healthcare workers most valuable asset in the fight against COVID-19, Mr. Patnaik said that the State has taken extensive measures for training of personnel and purchase of required consumables for personal protection.
“In this difficult time, you are the heroes for the people. This places an even greater responsibility on you, as the conduct and protocols followed by you sets an example for the people,” Mr. Patnaik told the doctors and senior functionaries of different medical colleges and COVID hospitals.
“It is, therefore, our collective responsibility to see that that infection control measures and personal protection protocols are scrupulously followed in our health facilities and by our healthcare workers in the field,” he observed.
