Covid positive medical staff in Delhi demand free treatment at pvt hospitals

With many medical staff of government hospitals across the national capital testing positive for coronavirus, a section of it has demanded free treatment in the private hospitals.

A senior resident doctor of a government hospital said that being the lone bread earner of the family, it becomes difficult for many to pay for the expenditure of private hospitals, which can go up to lakhs of rupees.

"The government should realise that we (the health professionals) are putting our lives at risk to serve the people. It is while working that we are getting this infection. Also, not just this, there are no accommodation facilities for the medical staff of the non-Covid-19 hospitals/health centres," the doctor told IANS on condition of anonymity.

The doctor, admitted to a private hospital after being infected with coronavirus, said that if they are testing positive, they are also putting the lives of their families at risk.

"They (the government) are paying Rs 1 crore if any of us die due to coronavirus. But what is the point of the money when there are no facilities for us when we are alive," he asked.

A junior resident doctor of a government hospital, who has been infected with coronavirus, told IANS that the health professionals are not willing to go to the government hospitals due to lack of proper facilities.

"I work in a government hospital. I am well aware about how things happen there and I also heard about the condition of the other government hospitals from many of my colleagues who tested positive for coronavirus. I preferred to get admitted to a private hospital as it offers better facilities. However, after coming here I realised that it will cost me a large amount of money," the doctor said.

The government or the Health Department has not released any data about the medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and sanitation workers, being infected with the virus.

A rough estimate suggests that about 200 health professionals across the city have tested positive for coronavirus.

A major section of these were from the non-Covid hospitals, which do not deal with coronavirus patients.

"While we were not supposed to deal with coronavirus patients, we somehow got infected while on duty," the junior resident doctor said.

According to a nurse, who also got infected with Covid-19, the picture would have been different had their demand for PPE kits was met.

"If we refuse to see any patient, we become evil and if we see them without PPE, we get the infection. The Health Department will never acknowledge that there are not enough PPE kits. Whenever we demanded PPE kits, the administration told us that only masks and gloves are enough and now look at us," said the nurse, who has tested positive and has also infected her family members.

A senior doctor, in-charge of a government hospital, said that he has been in touch with his fellow staff who tested positive for coronavirus and only two things are being told to him.

"First, lack of proper care and facilities at the government hospitals/care centres and second, heavy charges at the private hospitals. We have conveyed the message and requested the administration to look into the matter. I believe that they will resolve the issue," he said.

The doctor said that it is disheartening to see the plight of the health workers.

"We all are under so much pressure. The government should ensure that the staff at our hospitals are happy and feel secure. If hospital after hospital is getting the infection, how can we assure the common people that the situation is under control," the doctor told IANS.

So far, around 3,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported from the national capital. IANS