The resident doctors of Lok Nayak Hospital, the largest Delhi government-run hospital, on Friday reiterated their demand to restart non-COVID-19 treatment at the hospital.
“Just making building in the name of hospital will not suffice for public health if trained doctors are not available. Its high time to focus on training of doctors and re-initiate Non-COVID services at LNH [sic],” the RDA of the hospital tweeted.
The RDA, in a letter to the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the hospital used to attend more than 9,000 OPD patients and more than 200 surgical procedures every day before the COVID-19 pandemic and all these people are suffering as Lok Nayak Hospital is an exclusive COVID-19 facility now.
“The first-year postgraduate students have been deployed in the periphery by the orders of Chief Secretary, Health, and now they are doing clerical job at peripheral district centres for more than six months where there is no scope of learning,” the letter said.
The RDA also said that as the hospital is treating only COVID-19 patients now, many senior resident doctors left their posts as they were not gaining knowledge and clinical skills and new residents are hesitant to join.
“This has left many seats vacant in various departments,” the letter stated, adding that two of the most affected departments are working with half the strength with 42 seats vacant in the Department of Anesthesia and 10 in the Department of Medicine.
The RDA had earlier written to the Dean and the Medical Director of the hospital on the issue.
