Severe Shortage of PG Doctors at Manguluru haunts hospitals

Mangaluru: With the rising COVID-19 cases in the area, there seems to be a growing shortage of post-graduate doctors to provide adequate care to patients.

The NEET- PG counseling has begun, however these doctors would only report around the end of February. Along with that, the already working PG doctors could go on a two month leave in order to prepare for their final exams, to be held in April, reports the Times of India. To add to this mess, a growing number of post graduate doctors are testing positive for COVID 19 daily.

Also Read:Urgent need to address workforce shortage in medical profession: VP Naidu

Given the tense situation, medical colleges have requested the PG doctors to not to take the two month leave before their final exams in April.

The dean of Kasturba Medical College, Dr B Unnikrishnan which takes in 130 post graduates every year said, "Our PGs serve in three major hospitals. The existing PGs are under tremendous pressure since there is a delay in the arrival of the first-year PGs by nearly eight months. The workload is now balanced with the help of MBBS interns. The entire healthcare facility is overburdened. The only blessing is that though there are many cases, the hospitalisation ratio is lower compared to the first and second waves. However, we are worried about what will happen in the coming days when the cases peak."The dean added that around 2 to 3 post graduate interns test positive every day."

The dean of the Father Muller Medical College, Dr Antony Dsouza told TOI, "The PGs who are working long hours without much of a break and are testing positive as the new variant is spreading faster. We have to isolate and quarantine those PGs. As a result, the workforce has shrunk." He said that as the hospital is choked and there is a growing stress on the workforce, the college has made a request to the final year post graduates to continue work and not to take leave. He said, "Going on en-masse leave will totally collapse the system. The PGs have agreed to our request."

The new batch of PG students are expected to arrive by the first week of March to the colleges.

Also Read:AIIMS halts contact tracing of healthcare workers exposed to Covid-19 amid staff shortage