Srinagar June 8 (KINS) : A Kashmir’s leading pulmonologists Dr Naveed Shah on Monday said periodic COVID-19 testing should be made mandatory for all health workers.Amid surge in coronavirus cases, health workers especially doctors and nurses have fallen victim to this disease.
“Seeing the volume of asymtomatics should periodic testing be made mandatory for all health care workers especially working in covid hospitals in labd and COVID wards. Healthcare asysmtomatic carriers can be dangerous,” Dr Naveed said as per news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
Earlier, he has asked where are they going to keep COVID-19 patients, their families and contacts.”So many positives detected each day.. where are we going to keep them… and their families/contacts … do we have to alter our strategy … testing and quarantine,” he asked.
Doctors Association of Kashmir (DAK) Sunday also expressed serious concern over healthcare workers testing positive for COVID-19.
The Association, in a statement to KINS, said that at least 20 doctors in the valley have turned Covid-19 positive in the last couple of days.
In a meeting held on Sunday, DAK president, Dr Suhail Naik expressed worry over the issue and said that even though healthcare workers are adhering to various guidelines issued by ICMR for their safety, they are still contracting the virus due to high risk involved in being on the forefront.
“Administration is solicited that separate reasonable quality isolations facility may be arranged immediately by the department for healthcare workers who have tested COVID-19 positive which will keep the morale of health care workers in high esteem,” Dr Naik said.
General Secretary DAK, Dr Owais H Dar said the Association strongly advocates and encourages strict home isolation for COVID-19 positive patients as well as home quarantine for COVID-19 suspects as per the latest guidelines issued by ICMR.
“However, till the time a decision is taken in this regard, good quality isolation facilities may be arranged at district and block levels for COVID-19 positive Health care workers,” he said.
“Tourist huts, circuit houses, dak bungalows and hotels should be converted into isolation areas for health care workers and their families on urgent basis,” the doctors said..
DAK urged Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu, Financial Commissioner Atul Duloo, and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole to pass adequate directions in this matter at the earliest.(KINS)
