Pindi’s infected medics to work in isolation centres
None of Covid-19 affected doctors and paramedics is in critical condition
A Reuters file image.
RAWALPINDI:
With novel coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Rawalpindi soaring past the 1,500 mark and a spike in cases expected in the coming days, the district health authorities have come up with a novel solution to overcome a shortage of medical staff - get infected doctors and paramedics to help out in their respective quarantine centres.
District health officials say that all those doctors and paramedical staff, who have been infected with the virus, will be quarantined at different healthcare facilities and isolation centres with other Covid-19 patients instead of at their homes - as was being practised thus far. They said that these trained and skilled professionals will help staff at these facilities in treating other patients.
Karachi hospitals set up coronavirus isolation wards to fight against outbreak
These part-time tasks will only be assigned to those medical workers who are in better physical shape, officials said.
They further said that Medical Superintendents (MS) of public hospitals in the district will examine the physical health of infected doctors to determine whether they will be able to perform their duties and at which isolation centre they will be deployed at.
Apart from reducing the burden on healthy doctors and paramedics, the experiment aims to be cost-effective since the infected health care workers will not require precious personal protective equipment (PPE) to work, the officials said.
Isolation wards set up at all DHQ hospitals
All such healthcare workers will be paid a separate stipend for their short-but-useful services.
Sources told The Express Tribune that several doctors, nurses and paramedics have contracted Covid-19 but none of them is in critical condition. Sources said that the district administration is hopeful the experiment will yield positive results and help smartly manage the situation within available means.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2020.
With novel coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Rawalpindi soaring past the 1,500 mark and a spike in cases expected in the coming days, the district health authorities have come up with a novel solution to overcome a shortage of medical staff - get infected doctors and paramedics to help out in their respective quarantine centres.
District health officials say that all those doctors and paramedical staff, who have been infected with the virus, will be quarantined at different healthcare facilities and isolation centres with other Covid-19 patients instead of at their homes - as was being practised thus far. They said that these trained and skilled professionals will help staff at these facilities in treating other patients.
Karachi hospitals set up coronavirus isolation wards to fight against outbreak
These part-time tasks will only be assigned to those medical workers who are in better physical shape, officials said.
They further said that Medical Superintendents (MS) of public hospitals in the district will examine the physical health of infected doctors to determine whether they will be able to perform their duties and at which isolation centre they will be deployed at.
Apart from reducing the burden on healthy doctors and paramedics, the experiment aims to be cost-effective since the infected health care workers will not require precious personal protective equipment (PPE) to work, the officials said.
Isolation wards set up at all DHQ hospitals
All such healthcare workers will be paid a separate stipend for their short-but-useful services.
Sources told The Express Tribune that several doctors, nurses and paramedics have contracted Covid-19 but none of them is in critical condition. Sources said that the district administration is hopeful the experiment will yield positive results and help smartly manage the situation within available means.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2020.