Doctors ask not to convert Medical College Kolkata to exclusive COVID hospital again

The Resident Doctors Association of Medical College Kolkata has recently submitted a letter to the principal of the college stating that they have secured information from certain sources that the hospital may again be turned into an exclusive COVID facility but they strongly opposed the suggestion as it will cause them a loss of necessary academic experience.

The doctors also expressed concern regarding the Non-COVID patients who might get neglected as well.

The association in a letter mentioned, " The institution was turned into an exclusive COVID hospital on May 2020 to handle the first wave of COVID. This led to all our departments closing gates to the huge pool of patients we catered to previously on a daily basis and it irreversibly damaged the clinical and academic training of all the students of this great institution. For more than one year now, we, the students of the institution have toiled day in and day out catering to the needs of treating the COVID-ridden state. This burden was neither shared nor supplemented by the students of any other institution where normal OPD wards and clinical training continued throughout."

The association claimed that it took much effort and repeatedly pleading with the authorities to begin normal functioning of the hospital even after the first wave of COVID has subsided. The doctors stated that many non-COVID patients who needed immediate attention secured treatment finally after the restarting of the non-COVID facilities. In the letter, the doctors further added that they are shocked and are panicking over the suggestion of once again turning it into a COVID facility.

The association inquired why only one institution, one group of doctors, one group of postgraduate trainees, and the healthcare workers are repeatedly being exposed to COVID in the state. The doctors stated that even after choosing to pursue education in a premier institution like MCK if they have to face academic loss, that will be utterly disappointing.

Stating that the super-speciality block of the hospital has never been completely restored to normalcy, the association further stated that despite performing endless duties, they had to face absolute loss of one year of clinical, academic, and operative training and it can jeopardize the mental health of the professionals.

Under such circumstances, the association and all the medicos of the institution have approached the state and the college authorities with the following demands:

1) COVID wing should be prepared very quickly in every big hospital for the second wave. Not all of Covid's burdens can be placed on one or two tertiary teaching hospitals.

2) Under no circumstances any further harm should be done to the education and clinical training of junior doctors (which is done by treating different patients) as making MCK COVID exclusive for a long time already has disrupted their clinical training.

3) Non-COVID ICU can not be closed in any way. It is essential for shifting patients after critical surgery in case of the treatment of critical patients. Instead, the number of beds in non-covid CCU / ICU should be increased.

4) Emergency services cannot be disrupted in any way.

5) No functional operation theatre, ward, indoor can be closed in any way. Attempts to forcibly close and discharge the admitted patients will be prevented at all costs and if the treatment of the patients is disrupted, the authorities should take responsibility for the patient's dissatisfaction.

" We have already informed the Principal and MSVP by deputation," informed the medicos of MCK.