E-Paper
IMA probe lists reasons for high fatality among docs
PATNA Continuous work without any leave, incomplete vaccination, lack of oxygen and ventilators during the peak period of second Covid-19 wave, poor infection control in hospitals and inferior quality of PPE kits and other protective gear are some of the reasons for increased fatality among doctors during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, according to an investigation by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Bihar chapter
PATNA
Continuous work without any leave, incomplete vaccination, lack of oxygen and ventilators during the peak period of second Covid-19 wave, poor infection control in hospitals and inferior quality of PPE kits and other protective gear are some of the reasons for increased fatality among doctors during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, according to an investigation by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Bihar chapter.
Nearly 100 doctors from Bihar died during the second wave, more than three times the figure during the first wave last year. On May 21, the IMA had constituted an eight-member committee to investigate the reasons behind the high fatality among doctors.
IMA president-elect Dr Shahjanand Prasad Singh said lack of oxygen and ventilators during the peak pandemic period also affected doctors, who worked without break both in government and private health facilities. “Patna alone has over two hundred private hospitals, but only 90 could get oxygen supply. Some big hospitals also could not get oxygen supply. However, doctors kept working. Sometimes, social distancing also could not be maintained with patients, as the doctors kept their doors open. At other times, doctors also erred by not wearing masks properly or removing it,” he said.
Singh said the doctors who had taken both the doses of vaccines were relatively safer, while those who could not take the second dose for whatever reasons and kept working despite risks seemed to have fallen prey to Covid-19. “There have also been instances of secondary infection or blood clot in chests. It is a fact that this time there was an explosion of cases within a short period, but the doctors and healthcare workers responded to the challenge with full devotion despite huge risks,” he said.
Dr Sunil Kumar, state secretary of the IMA and a member of the investigation committee, said the responses through the forms given to the family members of the deceased doctors had started arriving. “More responses are awaited. Once they come, we will put the report in the public domain,” he said.
Last year, a central team visiting Bihar’s first dedicated coronavirus disease (Covid-19) facility, Nalanda Medical College & Hospital (NMCH) in Patna, had flagged poor infection control in hospitals and underlined the need to provide a safer working environment. Later, training programmes were also organised for doctors and healthcare workers to improve safety for them.
Dr Sunil Kumar, who had released a full list of deceased doctors from Bihar, said the high fatality rate was a cause of concern and therefore the IMA had decided to investigate the matter so that timely steps could be taken in future.
