Doctors, nurses test COVID positive at 2 Kolkata Medical Colleges, services suspended

Kolkata: After several nurses and doctors were tested positive for the omicron variant of COVID, Calcutta Medical College, and Chittaranjan Cancer Medical College have now decided to suspend operations and reduce the outdoor segment.

As per a recent media report, over 300 medical staff have been reportedly infected by COVID in Calcutta Medical College. Hence, there is no manpower to continue operations.

According to Free Press Journal, Calcutta Medical College sources stated, "Two to three doctors are only available to treat the patients for which the operations are suspended till we get the adequate number of doctors. The outdoor department will be open with certain restrictions as doctors are not available to treat patients."

On the other hand, as many as 39 new doctors were tested Covid positive in Chittaranjan Cancer Medical College last week. Hence, the hospital authorities were forced to close down even emergency services. "Several cancer patients had to be released as doctors are not available to treat the patients. Cancer is a terminal disease and needs to be addressed properly. We cannot take new patients and also release the admitted patients," said the hospital sources.

According to Dr. Kajal Krishna Banik, the scarcity of the workforce became quite evident as more and more doctors started getting infected with COID day after day. "We still have civic polls and Gangasagar Mela and despite awareness, we failed to make people understand to stay indoors. The more people get affected in order to treat them the doctors will be affected," said Banik.

Meanwhile, a total of 18213 fresh Covid patients were reported out of which 7484 patients with a 39.87 per cent positivity rate were found only in Kolkata till last Friday. Previously, the junior residents (PGTs) withdrew from all OPD, IPD, ELECTIVE SERVICES, TELE MEDICINE SERVICES and DAY CARE FACILITIES from 29.12.2021 demanding a definite verdict and resolution of case pertaining to NEET PG 2021 counseling process. However, they resumed the non-emergency services in solidarity with the decision taken by other medical colleges of West Bengal on 1st January. But now the outdoor services are again disrupted due to the dearth of nurses and doctors as most of them are already infected by the recent omicron variant.