Hyderabad: Gandhi doctors toil hard to fill in for Covid-hit colleagues

Hyderabad: Doctors at State's major Covid treatment centre, Gandhi Hospital have been working overtime filling in for sick colleagues who are down with Covid-19. The hospital is facing a severe shortage of doctors as only 230 doctors are present. More than 120 doctors are under home quarantine after testing Covid positive due to which the medical services at the hospital is slightly being affected.

Speaking to The Hans India, Dr Karthik Nagula, State General Secretary of Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) said, "We are trying our best to provide medical services to the patients to ensure services and not get affected. But we are overburdened as there are fewer doctors on duty."

Two batches of PG doctors, about 230 are providing services at the hospital. There are supposed to be 540 doctors as three batches should be at the hospital but due to delay in NEET-PG counselling, the new batch which was to join in March is still not in the hospital. 170 doctors are yet to join.

He shared that existing doctors are doing overtime duties as most of the doctors are affected with Covid. This may also lead to severe effects to the medical services at Gandhi.

Dr Mani Kiran, a member of JUDA said, "At present, two batches of 2019 and 2020 are providing medical services at the hospital and are serving the patients creating an immense workload."

Several doctors are unable to take proper breaks, proper meals, or even adequate sleep. They are continuously on their toes, clocking 36 hours at a stretch in the Covid wards.

Currently, 150 Covid patients are being treated at the hospital including 35 pregnant women. There are about 110 beds which are completely occupied and the number of beds has been increased.