After 32 COVID +Ve cases in Osmania medical college, DME orders quarantine

Hyderabad: With the increasing cases of Covid-19 among the medial fraternity, the Director of Medical Education, Hyderabad, has given an order to the principals and superintendents of all medical colleges in the city to divide all the medical staff into two batches and send each on seven days of quarantine after 24 hours of duty.

The direction is applicable to all medical colleges, teaching and speciality hospitals that come under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits. All faculty members, post graduate students, paramedical and outsourcing staff who are involved in patient care will be equally divided into two batches and sent to quarantine one after the other.

This has been a long standing demand of PG doctors. So far, the quarantine system was only followed in Gandhi Hospital, which is the nodal centre for Coronavirus in the state.

On June 4th, five more positive cases of Covid-19 emerged in Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences ( NIMS). Of them, four are cardiology residents and one faculty. Yesterday, 7 others tested positive for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the total number of Covid-19 cases among the medical staff in hospitals affiliated to Osmania Medical College reached 32.

However, the new circular says no leave will be permitted to staff during this period. Previously, the junior doctors association in Telangana (TJUDA) had also demanded sick leave for doctors.

The institutional heads have been asked to make adequate PPE kits and masks available and assign one RMO to monitor their disbursement closely. "There should not be any scope for complaints of non-availability of PPE kits and masks." the circular said.