While doctors at other COVID Care Centres work seven days and take seven days off, those who will report at the new CCC in BKC starting June 1 have been told to work 14 days at a stretch
Dr Deepak Baid, president, Association of Medical Consultants, said doctors are also facing other issues such as lack of accomodation. Pic /Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Contrary to regulations followed at COVID Care Centres across the state, where doctors are expected to work for a week and take the next week off, those appointed by the civic body for the facility at Bandra-Kurla Complex have been told to work for 14 days non-stop. Apprehensive about being exposed to infected patients for a longer period of time, doctors are unhappy with the revised work schedule, especially as there was no mention of it in their appointment letters. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) are passing the buck about the decision.
'No information given'
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A general physician said the appointment letter had simply told him to report to the facility at the MMRDA ground in BKC at 10 am on June 1. "A couple of days ago, I received a message that said private doctors on contract should work for 14 days followed by a week's rest as part of COVID duty. Other doctors work for seven days and rest for the next seven. The appointment letter didn't mention this schedule," he said adding that no other information has been given to them.
Dr Deepak Baid, president, Association of Medical Consultants, said health workers will be at higher risk of getting infected. "The idea behind a seven-day shift as mandated by the state government, is to ensure that doctors rest and check if they have any symptoms. If the doctors fall ill then the infection will spread to others. There may be a shortage of manpower on the ground. But doctors are voluntarily coming forward to help and the government needs to think about their safety as well," he said.
'Doctors face many issues'
Dr Baid pointed out that while health workers have the crucial responsibility of treating patients, in Mumbai, many of them are facing a variety of issues including lack of accommodation. "The doctors work eight-hour day shifts and 12-hour night shifts at the CCCs. We are all happy to work long hours but doctors need to have proper PPE kits. Many of them are defective and don't cover the lower half of the body completely. Doctors are scared to return home as they feel they might infect their families. But no accommodation has been arranged for them," he said. He added doctors are not getting a travel allowance either.
None of the government authorities were willing to take responsibility for the decision. A senior civic official said, "We only appointed the doctors. The doctors are working as per government locations and DMER had fixed the schedule. The CCC dean will organise things with doctors." Dr Rajesh Dere, dean of the CCC at BKC, said decisions will be taken by DMER. Dr T P Lahane, director of DMER, said all decisions pertaining to the CCC were taken by the civic body.
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