Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Won't Treat COVID Patients Till Govt Fulfills These Six Demands

Senior resident doctors from Government General and Chest Hospital boycotted the duties linked to treating Covid-19 patients from Friday morning as their demands are not addressed and this decision was taken by the Telangana Senior Resident Doctors’ Association.

They said that they will sign in the attendance register but won't treat the patients unless their demands are accepted by the government.

Dr M. Naresh speaking to a news portal said that “This is an emergency situation, many doctors are exposed to the virus, and there are more chances that these doctors may contract the disease. We will be carrying the infection to our homes. Another major problem is of wearing the PPE kits. Wearing them causes health problems such as dehydration, severe pain in the body etc.”

The six demands are:
1 Quarantine leave: 15 days quarantine leave is mandated in the Covid-19 Protocol. 
2 Quality PPE Kits: The Personal Protection Equipment supplied to the government hospitals should be of high quality. 3 Cash incentive of 10 percent of salary as promised by the government should be given.
4 Accommodation to doctors should be provided by the management for them to take rest after completing duty. 
5 Transportation should be provided for doctors during this Covid-19 phase. 
6 Hospital ICU beds must be reserved for doctors and their family members.

Members of the Telangana Senior Residents Doctors Association said that "Further burdening without quarantine will lead to more losses. Accommodation and transport have not been provided for the past eight months forcing us to stay with families and increasing the risk to the family members. Parents of some senior resident doctors have been affected and some are critically ill. There is shortage of beds and oxygen supply outside to treat or admit the family members."