TN govt facilitates doctors with private hotel after repeated pressure from medicos

The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday has come up with a plan to adjust the corona warriors in private hotels. This comes after the doctor association backlash the government about the supply of protective kits and proper arrangement for the health workers.

Chennai (Tamil Nadu): After facing huge criticism from healthcare providers involved in the treatment of novel coronavirus, concerning the dilemma of their accommodation and safety kits, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday has come up with a plan to adjust the corona warriors in private hotels.

While some government medical college hospitals have made arrangements for accommodation in nearby hotels or buildings such as MLA hostel in Chennai, some still house the healthcare providers on campus -- in hostels or other blocks.

Though, the dean of the Rajiv Gandhi government hospital claimed that the government has now provided sufficient facilities to the doctors and nurses involved in the isolation wards. But, the doctor staying at the hotel said, "The facilities provided at the hotel are not up to the mark. Many of us are sharing the room and using a common washroom. This can prove fatal."

PPEs continue to be a problem for many. They are of sub-standard quality, said one doctor, while another doctor said that they got only one kit per shift.

While demanding supply of proper protective gear for those in COVID-19 duty, the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association said urged the government to provide suitable individual accommodation. Food and adequate quarantine should be provided to reduce the risk of spread during the incubation period and to reduce the viral load, added doctor association.