The Absence of Senior Doctors in Nightshift Worries Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: State Health Minister Keshab Mahanta made it crystal clear to the medical fraternity on Tuesday that senior doctors would have to attend night duty during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The senior doctors not attending night duty in the medical colleges and hospitals in the State continues to worry the Health Minister and the Health Department.

It so happened that 12 patients died of the COVID-19 at the GMCH (Gauhati Medical College & Hospital) on Monday. Someone informed the Health Minister that no senior doctor was on duty in the GMCH on Monday night.

The Minister rushed to the GMCH at night and inspected all the wards of COVID-19 patients. He found only junior doctors and postgraduate students on duty, but not a single senior doctor. The Health Minister even got an eye doctor on COVID-19 duty in the GMCH.

Worried at the ground reality, the Health Minister called a high-level meeting at the GMCH this evening. Present at the meeting were heads of all departments, the GMCH Principal and the Superintendent, the Director of Medical Education, and others. The Minister bought the doctors' duty roster of the GMCH and made it crystal clear that senior doctors would have to attend night duty without fail. "Make sure that COVID-19 patients who get admitted to the hospital at night get equal treatment and facilities as that of patients admitted during the day," the Minister said. He instructed that all medical colleges in the State must depute senior doctors in both shifts – day and night – for the COVID-19 patients.

The meeting also had a thorough analysis of why the COVID-19 death toll in the State continues to be high even though the COVID positivity rate keeps falling.

The doctors showed several reasons. Citing the 12 COVID-19 patients who died in the GMCH on Monday as an example, the doctors said that the oxygen levels of all the 12 patients were minimal while admitting them to the GMCH. The doctors further said that none of the patients had taken vaccines.

The doctors said that most patients come to hospitals when there is little time for their treatment. And that is why the COVID-19 death toll is high in the State, they said.

Also Read: COVID Vaccination Drive: Will Achieve Target in 45 Days, Says Health Minister Keshab Mahanta