Maharashtra Government has issued a strict advisory dated June 4, 2020, for the medical interns working on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic in the state, which has been grappling to control the scourge of the pathogen. The circular issued by the state-run hospitals mentions that there has been a sudden surge in the number of interns who are having to be quarantined due to coronavirus exposure.
It has asked the medical interns to follow the guidelines strictly, and those who test positive for Coronavirus and found guilty of not adhering to the guidelines and discipline in the workplace and in hostels would be liable to repeat the internship for the quarantine period. Basically the circular implies that if any medical intern by any chance gets exposed to the pathogen while handling coronavirus patients, and if it can be shown that the intern caught the infection due to negligence, then that intern will be liable for punishment. As punishment, their internship period will be extended by the period they will have to stay in quarantine for testing Coronavirus positive.
The circular asks the interns to submit a written explanation about the nature of their exposure and the reason for it.
As the interns are working with Coronavirus patients, their chance of catching the infection is very high. Anyone can get infected accidentally, but to say that interns will be punished if they are found to get the infection for their negligence, the state government is putting additional pressure on the doctors.
Maharashtra has been unable to break the chain of coronavirus. As the Maha Vikas Aghadi Government faces severe flak for its handling of the coronavirus situation in the state, the municipal hospitals in Mumbai have now issued circulars requesting 2nd and 3rd MBBS students (major as well as minor) to return to campus for COVID-19 duty.
Colleges attached with state-run hospitals urge medical students to join as COVID warrior
After many colleges attached with state-run hospitals like Cooper, KEM and Nair, LTM Medical College and Sion, Mumbai had also issued circulars, appealing to medical students to volunteer to treat the coronavirus patients. The circular issued read that the Municipal Commissioner and the additional Municipal commissioner have requested 2nd and 3rd MBBS students (major as well as minor) to join as COVID warrior. Though making the decision voluntary, the circular reads that the number of days served by these students as a COVID warrior would be deducted from their UG bond service period.
It also read that Rs 30,000 honorarium along with a certificate which will “enhance your bio-data for the future” will also be provided after completion of service. Food and accommodation will be taken care of by the college, added the circular.
Similar circulars were also circulated by colleges attached to other municipal hospitals like Cooper, Nair and KEM recently.
The Maharashtra govt spent a meagre 7% of the total deposits on COVID-19 fund on health care
Information received under RTI has reportedly revealed that the Maharashtra chief minister’s coronavirus relief fund had received Rs 342.01 crore as of May 18. However, so far the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra has only utilised Rs 23.82 crore of the total funds in the COVID-19 related arrangements.
“The Maharashtra government has spent just a meagre 7% of the total deposits on COVID 19 fund on health care. While 16 per cent of the fund was spent on migrant labourers to meet railway fares and 0.23 per cent was spent on the deceased in the railway accident. I have written it the state CM Uddhav Thackeray & requested him to use COVID19 fund to improve the health care services,” said Mumbai based RTI activist Anil.
Maharashtra: The worst affected state in the coronavirus pandemic
Maharashtra reported the highest single-day spike in coronavirus deaths on Wednesday with 122 fatalities, taking the total number of deaths in the state to 2,587. The total number of positive cases in the state now stands at 74,860.
