3rd wave: Med Colleges can apply for extra manpower

kolkata: Stressing upon the importance of adequate manpower in the health sector ahead of a potential third wave of Covid, the state Health department has told all the medical colleges that they can apply for additional health workers if they require.

The medical college authorities will assess whether they will require any extra workforce to handle the situation and can inform the Swasthya Bhawan accordingly. All the medical college hospitals have already been directed to take stock of their health infrastructure and fill up the gaps, if there are any. Health officials have held many meetings with the medical college authorities and the chief medical officers in the districts to ensure that the latter are prepared to combat any unforeseen situation.

Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam held a meeting with the medical college authorities on Saturday to examine their preparedness. Necessary instructions were given to the medical colleges during the meeting. According to sources, medical colleges have been asked whether they have adequate manpower to fight the third wave. Some medical colleges' principals have pointed out that they have some shortage of manpower. They have been told that if any medical college authorities feel the need of recruiting more health workers they can apply to the Health department.

The medical colleges in the districts have been instructed to work in tandem with the district hospitals so that better health services can be ensured to the patients in the district hospitals as well. There must be better coordination between the district hospitals and the medical colleges situated in their respective districts. In the case of Kolkata, the city's medical colleges have to take care of other government hospitals.

"All the medical colleges have been asked to be prepared to check the third wave as they did during the previous two waves. There should be co-ordination between the district hospitals and the medical colleges in the vicinity. District hospitals are setting up adequate infrastructure to handle Covid third wave," a health official said. Sources said the medical colleges had been directed to ensure that there was no unnecessary referral of patients. Those hospitals which have been declared as non Covid may also be turned into a Covid one if the situation demands so. The hospitals have to be prepared to treat Covid patients, the health department told the hospital authorities.