23 Jul 2020  |   06:19am IST

COVID health heroes at hospital exhausted, need rest, replacements

Multi-tasking staff working 10 days non-stop; Some pull oxygen cylinders, take bodies to the morgue; One has got COVID with symptoms, now a patient at ESI

PRATIK PARAB

Margao: The multi-tasking staff working at the ESI (COVID) hospital at Margao have complained of being totally exhausted. The frontline workers who have been on the job from the month of March are crying for help and relief. 

While the staff is totally dedicated and are carrying on handling the sheer number of patients are taking its toll on these COVID heroes.

Several of the staff while describing their situation at the COVID Hospital said that they are being made to work for 10 days without an off and rest. They said that they have to even pulled large oxygen cylinders and take bodies to the morgue in the absence of the morgue attendants. 

There are 16 multi-tasking staff at the hospital and one of them has contracted the Coronavirus infection. According to the staff, there is a need for more people to work. A staff member said, "We told Dr Ira Almeida, the in charge, that the other staff which works here does 7 days duty and stays quarantined for the next 7 days. But, we (frontline health workers) are working continuously," said the staff member. 

They also said that a staff member who was symptomatic was taken for testing after two days even as he complained of fever. Now, he is admitted to the hospital as a patient with symptoms. 

The staff has pleaded for some rest and additional hands so that they can continue their work.

Some contract basis staff were sent for work here but they saw bodies and fled the Hospital.