Instead of demanding PPE, IMA Nagpur extends helping hand to government
   Date :03-Apr-2020

Dr Kush Jhunjhunwala_1&nb
 
 
 
IMA imparts training to staff for COVID-19 After every 15 days staff has to be withdrawn and quarantined. if one goes by that speed then the staff of Government hospitals gets exhausted. By rule working in Covid-19 should be given rest. Considering that aspect various specialist doctors in IMA came forward to impart training to staff involved in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. “Till now, IMA has imparted training to 40 staffers. Young doctors who are ready to work are also given training. Public Health Institute (PHI) has called workforce of 2,000 from periphery. They will also be trained by us for COVID. Training is underway at GMCH, IGGMCH and IMA. It is our responsibility to help our colleagues,” expressed Dr Kush Jhunjhunwala, President, IMA Nagpur.
 
Principal Correspondent :
 
When almost all the branches of Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Maharashtra are demanding Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits to respective civic authorities, its Nagpur branch has refused to do so. Dr Kush Jhunjhunwala, President, IMA, Nagpur branch, who is daily attending official meetings regarding novel coronavirus pandemic at Commissionerate is aware of the ground reality. According to Dr Jhunjhunwala, when Government doesn’t have adequate number of PPE, how can we demand for more. Staff at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) are more in need of the PPE, feels Dr Jhunjhunwala.
 
All the IMA branches have submitted a memorandum to their respective Divisional Commissioner, Municipal Commissioner, Collector demanding PPE. But Dr Jhunjhunwala has taken a different stand. “Presently clinics are closed, pathology laboratories also are not functioning. Some General Practitioners, too, have kept their clinics closed on the ground of lack of PPE. I think it is not good at this juncture to demand for the kit. I have been attending meetings regarding COVID-19 on daily basis and I know the inside situation. I agree nobody should work without PPE, but if that are not adequate in number and they are needed to more to our colleagues in Government set-up, then they should get on priority basis,” stated Dr Jhunjhunwala. Recently, the government comes up with a notice asking private hospitals to start clinics so as to reduced load of government hospitals.
 
“We appealed our members to open their hospitals. If we don’t have PPE we can do the best. We can ask our patients to talk on phone. They should not come to clinic unless there is emergency. Reducing number of visits from the patients to hospital is one way of the management. I got several calls from my colleagues pressurising me to send letter to civic authority, but I defied it,” revealed Dr Jhunjhunwala. “Despite scarcity of PPE, our colleagues at GMCH, IGGMCH are fighting with COVID-19. Our support to frontline healthworkers assumes much value.
 
When a person wears PPE he/she has to be inside for six hours. After every six hours he/she has to come out. The PPE is airtight and one gets wet due to sweat. It is a very hard work and common public cannot imagine. On an average, a single ward needs 15 to 20 PPE daily. I must appreciate the work being done by the government,” Dr Jhunjhunwala remarked.