Uttar Pradesh: KGMU brews fresh row over new duty orders for doctors

KGMU's VC issued a fresh order making medical rounds mandatory for doctors at the Covid hospital. The controversial order is not going well with the doctors of KGMU as 40 of them tested Corona positive on Tuesday.

Lucknow:King George's Medical University (KGMU) is at the centre of a fresh new controversy. This time it's related to the new order issued to the doctors for conducting regular medical rounds in the Covid hospital. KGMU's Rehabilitation and Artificial Limb Centre has been functioning as a Covid hospital with over 90 patients. The order issued by the Vice-Chancellor of KGMU is causing friction among the hospital's doctors and staff.

Covid hospital has a separate duty roster. Doctors and staff work in the hospital for 14-days and then move into home quarantine. Furthermore, the doctors and staff regularly get themselves tested. They also resume main hospital duties on the basis of negative RT-PCR reports. Doctors on Covid duty don't check or interact with Outpatient Department (OPD) patients or visit their parent department.

The newly released order states that from the 1st of April 2021, anyone among the Professors, Additional Professors, and Assistant Professors of 15 departments will have to conduct mandatory rounds of the Covid hospital. The order issued by the VC is causing serious concerns among the Doctors. According to them, departments conduct turn-wise duties in the Covid hospital. Doctors also use virtual consultancy with their respective departments in case of complications.

In light of the new order, doctors on general duty will now have to conduct medical rounds in the Covid hospital. This will put both the doctors and OPD patients at risk of Covid infection.

Earlier on Tuesday as many as 40 doctors including the VC of KGMU have tested positive for Covid-19. Many of the doctors have tested positive even after taking the vaccine. Around 20 doctors have been infected in the General Surgery department while 9 doctors tested positive in the Urology department. The new order issued by the VC has become controversial in light of so many doctors testing positive for Covid in KGMU.

Following departments will be affected by the orders -- Medicine, Cardiology, Critical Care Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Gastroenterology, Neurology, OB-GYN, Pediatrics, Respiratory Medicine, Gastro Surgery, Neuro Surgery, Radiodiagnosis, Microbiology, and Anesthesia. Doctors from these departments will have to wear PPE kits and follow all the mandatory guidelines.

According to KGMU, doctor's round duty in Covid hospital will ensure better care and treatments for the patients.