2 NATURE CURE HOSPITAL DOCS TESTED POSITIVE

Two doctors of Nature Cure Hospital at Begumpet have tested positive. The hospital, which also treats Covid19 patients in the city, has ignored orders to implement rotational duty for the doctors, which led to the spread of infection.

Two doctors of Nature Cure Hospital at Begumpet have tested positive as the alternate shift system of working is not being followed leading to spread of infection.

The order from the director of health and medical education to allot duties on rotation basis is not being followed.

Nature Cure Hospital is now a treating centre for Covid-19 and all rules applicable to government hospitals apply here too. A senior doctor at the hospital said, “We are overworked and stressed. There is no relief for us despite orders being issued. The State Ayush department has implemented the rotation duty orders only for the Ayurvedic hospital at Erragadda. But for other hospitals like Nature Cure and Homoeopathy Hospital it is not being implemented.”

From March to May, all these hospitals were only isolation centres where suspected and negative cases were kept in quarantine. But from June, all Ayush hospitals are now treatment centres and require staff and doctors to be given protection and also rotation duties.

There are 143 patients in Nature Cure Hospital with mild symptoms, but if they develop severe breathlessness and other complications, they are shifted to Gandhi Hospital for treatment.

A staffer at the hospital on condition of anonymity said, “We are exposed as the patients are carriers of the virus and their blood pressure, glucose and oxygen levels have to be monitored. Despite precautions, spread of infection was noted in doctors. We are worried and have requested Ayush department to follow the rotation system in this hospital too.”

The problem is that Nature Cure Hospital has staff specialised and trained to work in this hospital, and there is no extra staff to work on rotation basis. Ayush department officials stated that they already face shortage of staff and in pandemic times it has become worse. Thus they are not able to implement the order in this specialised hospital.

At the same time, there is tremendous pressure from the government to ensure that there is adequate treatment and no complaints from patients.