Mysore/Mysuru: As the number of Corona positive cases and deaths is increasing day by day in the district, patients and doctors are exchanging barbs with their complaints.
The patients, who are being treated at District Covid Hospital, have complained of lack of care by doctors and non-availability of medicines. Countering this, doctors contended that they have been working without rest or holiday for the last so many days and nothing more could be expected from them.
A Corona positive patient complained lack of quality treatment at the hospital despite managing to get a bed after much struggle. Doctors, nurses and Group-D workers were seen only during breakfast, lunch or dinner time, and not during the day. Even medicines were not given to patients from time to time, they alleged.
“We don’t know whom to complain in case any patient feels short of breath as none will be present in the ward,” one of them said.
He observed that half of the ailments would go away if doctors talk to patients nicely. Unfortunately, such a feeling was not there inside the ward. This had made patients to think whether they will go back home safely or not? Beds and oxygen were available for patients but their health condition hasn’t improved, he added. Although, cases are increasing, the number of medical staff has remained the same. At least 5-6 patients will be waiting at the hospital to get admission. If one bed gets vacated, there will be competition among them to occupy it. The district administration has not bothered to increase the strength of medical staff, the patients said.
We are also human beings
Doctors who spoke to SOM said three doctors have to take care of 100 patients in a ward. They were working without weekly off or leave. Many of them have contracted virus as they continuously work in COVID ward. Who should take care of them if they become Corona positive? Deaths and infections are bound to increase if the Government fails to put more number of medical staff on treatment of Covid patients. “We are also human beings and we too have families. With limited number of staff, how many patients can we treat at a time,” the doctor noted.
So why do you want Doctors to worry. Allow attenders at their own risk to take care of the patients. Attenders would be happy to help. In most cases, they are part of their own family, and would have got Covid19 of the same strain themselves. So no risk to them. And load on Doctors / Nurses would be reduced. Most cases where Patients die in India now a days is due to lack of attention from Doctors / Nurses who are completely overburdened with the huge number of patients. Allowing attendants for taking care of patients would mitigate this problem. After all, attendants are allowed to take care of patients for other infectious diseases. Why not Covid?