Delhi directs its hospitals to recall all staffers from leave

HOSPITALS HAVE SAID STAFF SHORTAGE IS ONE OF THE REASONS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND ICU SERVICES FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS

nNEW DELHI: The Delhi government’s health department has directed all hospitals and medical institutions under it to recall all their employees on leave and ask them to report for duty immediately. The special secretary of the health department SM Ali issued the order on Friday. A senior health department official has said that leave of any kind would only be granted under the “most compelling circumstances.”

“…Issue directions to all staff who are on leave of any kind to immediately report for their duties in their concerned hospital or medical institution without fail,” the order read.

The medical directors of bigger Delhi government hospitals reported the shortage of staff as one of the chief reasons for their inability to expand intensive care unit services for Covid patients.

“We have asked everyone on leave to join back duty immediately and cancelled all leaves. With the rising number of Covid-19 cases, we will need more staff in the coming days,” said Dr Suresh Kumar, medical director of Lok Nayak hospital.

To combat the challenges in the hospitals, the government on Thursday ordered that the final-year student pursuing their MD/MS/ DNB (post-graduate medical training) and finalyear students of undergraduate and post-graduate nursing will be hired for the next six months.

“The students will help the doctors in various areas of the hospital. This will free up doctors for ICUS and other critical patients,” said Dr Kumar.

Earlier this week, the health department had also issued another order that stated that action would be taken against health department staff not reporting to work. Only those who had tested positive for Covid-19 were allowed to remain in home isolation. This came at a time when the city’s health minister tested positive for the infection. Prior to this order, the director general of health services also had to undergo quarantine for fever

As of Saturday, the national capital has recorded 56,746 Covid-19 cases, of whom 2,112 have died.