FIR to be lodged against doctors, nurses, who quit jobs during Covid-19 pandemic

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday said that cases will be lodged against doctors and medical staff who decide to quit their jobs during times of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Addressing a meeting with senior district officials and head of different Covid-dedicated hospitals at Indira Gandhi Kala Kendra in Noida, additional chief secretary (health and education) Rajnish Dubey said that escapism has never been a part of the medical profession. “How can doctors and paramedics quit their jobs, particularly when there is a public health emergency in the state ? Every responsible fraternity of the society — like police, administrative officials, fire dept staff and above all the doctors — need to step up and put themselves in the battle against the deadly virus. I am surprised as to how some doctors and health workers want to quit and flee this battle, fearing for their own lives,” he said.

In context with the recent reports of some health staff and seven doctors, including four anaesthesiologists, quitting their jobs at Sharda hospital last month, Dubey said that the government will first warn them for dereliction of duty. “If they’ll still do not resume their duties, FIRs will be lodged against them and they ca=n even be jailed for violation of rules under the ongoing pandemic Act,” he said.

Dubey further said that 10 additional ventilators will be made available to Sharda hospital soon. “With these ventilators, the Covid-19 ward of this hospital will now run with 30 oxygen intensive care units (ICUs) and 30 ventilators,” he said.

About a proposal of increasing capacity of beds from 150 to 250 in Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), the additional chief secretary said that the move had already been cleared by the Uttar Pradesh government. “We will soon allocate adequate funds to GIMS for increasing the capacity of beds in its Covid-19 ward,” he said.

Meanwhile, when contacted, GIMS director Dr (Brig) Rakesh Gupta said that if the number of beds are increased, he hospital will be able to cater to more Covid-19 patients for their proper treatment.

Echoing similar views, spokesperson of Sharda hospital, who said that with enhanced infrastructure, the comfort level of coronavirus patients will increase.