PG medicos allege COVID 19 crisis mismanagement; CMC Dean Transferred, told to report to DME

Recently, the PG medicos highlighted the alleged mismanagement by the medical college administration in ensuring basic facilities to PG students and house surgeons and their safety after two PG students, who was on duty at the COVID 19 special ward of Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, Singanallur, tested positive.

Allegations

The students had alleged that after the duo was tested positive, the mess which provided food for the PG students was shut down. This led to a lack of adequate food for them, following which they were forced to confront the Dean. In addition to this, students also alleged that they were not given enough protective gear when handling COVID-19 patients and that the two doctors who contracted the virus were not immediately shifted to an isolation ward.

"Dinner was not available at the mess on Monday as the staff left the place afraid of contracting COVID-19. We were told to find our food when we took the issue to the attention of the hospital administration," the students had informed The Hindu earlier.

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After all these allegations cropped up against the administration, the State Health and Family Welfare department has taken strict action against the authorities. While Dr Asokan has been removed from his post, the college's Medical Superintendent has also been issued a show-cause notice.

The authorities were informed that their behaviour was not 'ethical' and that they failed to carry out their duties satisfactorily.

However, while speaking to TNM, Dr Asokan justified the administration stance and stated, "The two students who were tested positive are doctors doing their final year post-graduation. The drug HCQ was provided to them even when they went for duty. One doctor took HCQ on April 4. When I inquired on Monday, they initially said both of them were taking the medicine. However, we came to know later that one of them did not take HCQ. The infected doctor was in ESI Hospital so we immediately informed them. The ESI officials administered the tablet to him."

New Dean

Dr P Kalidas, a senior professor from the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, was appointed to hold full additional charge of the Dean. The change in the administration came into effect following an order issued by the Health Secretary Beela Rajesh through Director of Medical Education (DME) R. Narayana Babu, reports The Hindu.

The medical college administration has reportedly arranged alternative accommodation for male postgraduate students and house surgeons after their quarters on the hospital campus was fumigated after the 2 students had tested positive. They were shifted to a hostel on the medical college campus near Peelamedu.

Thereafter, Minister for Municipal Administration S.P. Velumani informed The Hindu, "I have asked the administration to provide the best possible food and accommodation, matching the standards of star hotels. At the same time, the medicos should stay vigilant and take care of their health," he told journalists after a meeting with officials to review the administration's preparedness to combat COVID-19.