Hyderabad, Jan 20 (FN Representative) More than 8,000 healthcare workers at various hospitals, including premium medical institutions, government-run general hospitals and private healthcare facilities, from across the country have already tested positive for Covid-19, and their number is increasing every day, said Dr Naresh Purohit, Executive Member of the Federation of Hospital Administrator on Thursday. Amid the omicron driven third wave of the pandemic, Indian hospitals are also badly stretched with a severe shortage of staff to attend to the patients, Dr Purohit told this to UNI after addressing a webinar on the ‘ Impact of Omicron on Hospital and Health System’ being organized by the Warangal based Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences. Omicron has derailed the healthcare system, he said that a large number of medical staff, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and housekeeping staff, are also down with the viral infection and are either hospitalised or under home quarantine or in self-isolation. Currently, there is a shortfall of at least 20 percent in the personnel strength on an average in most hospitals across the country. Dr Purohit, the Noted Infectious Disease Epidemiologist, said that the rapid spread of Covid has adversely affected the functioning of hospitals in Telengana with many health workers testing positive.
With more health workers continuing to report sick, Principal Investigator for National Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme Dr Purohit called for an urgent intervention from authorities to preserve healthcare resources as the days ahead are crucial for dealing with Covid. He said an immediate change in the duty arrangement of hospital staff is needed to avoid a major shortage. Dr Purohit, who is also Advisor for National Communicable Disease Control Programme, stated that notwithstanding the Covid spread among health workers, hospitals continue to follow the regular work pattern. While the guidelines recommend seven-day self-isolation for persons with mild Covid infection, health workers have been following ad hoc methods to avoid disruption of hospital functioning, he said.