73 resident doctors in BMC hosps tested +ve since outbreak began

Sumitra.DebRoy@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:  20.05.2020

As many as 73 resident doctors from three medical colleges — Sion, KEM and BYL Nair — in the city have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since the beginning of the outbreak here. Though infections have slowed down as more PPE kits have become available, doctors say they ought to be provided with better nutrition and treatment facilities.

A break-up provided by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) said the highest infections were among Sion doctors (42), who are not only catering to neighbouring hotspot Dharavi, but are also being posted in dedicated Covid-19 centres such as Kasturba and SevenHills hospitals.

KEM and Nair hospitals have reported 16 and 15 cases, respectively. Most doctors are asymptomatic and on the road to recovery. Over a dozen have already resumed duties, said a civic official. Across the city, nearly 500 healthcare workers had tested positive for the infection, and the rate was much higher in the initial days when protocols on handling Covid cases were still being framed.

The resident doctors have urged civic and state officials for more manpower as several were unable to avail of the mandatory offs between weekly shifts. “Doctors are exhausted at the end of shifts, which sometimes stretch to eight hours and even more. We have had instances where doctors were severely dehydrated after donning PPEs,” said Dr Deepak Mundhe, president of MARD. The BMC had said last week doctors would get only two days off after a five-day shift owing to manpower crunch. The state task force has now agreed to six days leave following a nine-day shift.

“A doctor fainted in his room after returning from a six-hour shift wearing PPE. At least two such incidents have happened at Sion. We cannot drink water during the shift or use the washroom,” said Avinash a resident doctor at Sion, adding that dehydration and lack of nutritious food could leave many doctors vulnerable. Sion dean Dr Ramesh Bharmal said the quality of PPEs has improved and every care is being taken to ensure students get their weekly offs.