Doctors in protective suits being briefed before they start collecting swabs from people in home quarantine, at a neighbourhood in Ahmedabad, on April 7, 2020. (Photo: Reuters)

India's medical workforce is leading from the front in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic -- and is itself in the pathogen's crosshairs.

More than 50 cases of medical staff testing positive for the virus, known as Sars-CoV-2, have come to light as of April 3, according to data provided by the health ministry. And the numbers continue to rise.

Municipal authorities in Mumbai declared Wockhardt Hospital a containment zone on Monday, after as many as 26 nurses and three doctors tested positive in the span of one week.

For a month now, there have been several complaints from the medical fraternity of a shortage of PPEs (personal protective equipment). Now, doctors say their criticism of the lack of protective gear -- or its poor quality -- is getting them into trouble.

'DON'T SHUT OUR VOICES'

The Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) of Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to complain about the "harsh backlash".

"Our frontline healthcare workers -- doctors, nurses, and other supportive staff -- have come forward with their problems and issues related to the availability of PPE, Covid-19 testing equipment and quarantine facilities, on social media. The officials should view these inputs constructively. Instead of appreciating their efforts towards the welfare of their peers and patients, they have received a harsh backlash," said the RDA, which represents 2,500 doctors.

"We have appealed to the prime minister to ensure that the medical fraternity's opinions are respected, rather than humiliated." - Dr Srinivas Rajkumar

Dr Srinivas Rajkumar, the RDA's general secretary, said the association received complaints everyday about medical staff "being harassed by the management of their respective hospitals for raising legitimate concerns".

"Even in AIIMS, doctors or nurses or any worker putting pictures of bad quality PPEs or raising concern over the lack of accommodation, are being questioned and targeted," he said in an exclusive interview with India Today TV.



"We have appealed to the prime minister to ensure that the medical fraternity's opinions are respected, rather than humiliated. We do not want you to clap for us or even say thank you, but at least don't snatch away our right and shut our voices. That is the least you can do for the medical fraternity right now," he said.

COMPLAINT BY NURSES' ASSOCIATION

The United Nurses' Association Maharashtra complained to the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) on Monday after Wockhardt Hospital nurses said infections spread to other staffers due to the hospital's negligence.

Staff members said the hospital didn't quarantine the nurses and forced them to work, resulting in the spread of the virus.

According to the complaint, some nurses alleged that they were being asked by the management to continue working despite being advised quarantine.

'TAKE CRITICISM POSITIVELY'

In West Bengal, the Calcutta High Court directed the state police on Thursday to return a seized mobile phone and a SIM card belonging a doctor posted at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.

Indranil Khan, an oncologist, had moved the court on Wednesday, alleging harassment by the police after an FIR was filed against him for some of his Facebook and Twitter posts.

On March 29, Khan uploaded photographs on his Twitter handle and described how doctors were being asked to wear raincoats and use substandard masks.

He was charged under the Indian Penal Code with causing disharmony and a feeling of hatred that disturbed public tranquility.

"We do not understand why people who are putting their lives at risk to protect their country from a pandemic are being punished for flagging-off an important issue." - Resident doctor, Hindu Rao hospital

In Delhi, a resident doctor at Hindu Rao hospital who wished not to named said some contract doctors and nurses had resigned after their plea for proper protective equipment fell on deaf ears.

"Later, the hospital administration did not accept their resignation and said that necessary action would be taken against them. We do not understand why people who are putting their lives at risk to protect their country from a pandemic are being punished for flagging-off an important issue," the doctor said.

"The government and authorities must take the criticism positively."

"If you do not provide proper gear to nurses and workers, it will lead to more cases of medical workers testing positive -- and during a time when the country cannot afford a dearth in the fraternity, it will lead to more chaos and and will make way for another disastrous route of spread of infection from the health personnel to lay patients visiting hospitals," the doctor added.

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