PG students say they can no more serve Covid patients, lose chance to expand learning

Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute
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Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute

Highlights

With continuous rise in Covid-19 positive cases in the city, the government has once again started roping in post-graduate students in government hospitals to treat patients

Bengaluru: With continuous rise in Covid-19 positive cases in the city, the government has once again started roping in post-graduate students in government hospitals to treat patients. But this has not gone down well with several students. On Friday, PG students of Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) requested the dean to deploy them for non-Covid care.

The students contended that they had lost one precious academic year in 2020 when they dedicated themselves to the service of Covid patients.

"No other medical college students in Karnataka were hit as badly as us due to Covid. Despite all the difficulties we provided our service for the benefit of the society last year. Multiple representations have been made in the past regarding the loss of academic and non-Covid exposure which was published in various newspapers. In the present scenario it is highly difficult for us to continue doing the same. There are thousands of non-Covid patients whose tertiary care was not available for almost a year. The complications of which we are witnessing now frequently where patients are presenting with a very advanced stage of illness," the letter to the dean said.

The students offered unstinting support to serve non-Covid patients in their respective departments where, they feel, upskilling is possible.

They claim that if the college continues deploying them for Covid care, the lives of thousands of people (non-Covid patients) whom they might serve after graduating would bother them.

"The college may have numerous pressures from higher authorities, since we understand we are the most easily available and accessible option to get the work done in the metropolitan city. But the government has had enough time to prepare in case a second wave occurs in Karnataka," the letter highlighted.

The former president of the Resident Doctors Association Dr Dayananda Sagar said that there was ample time for the government to have found an alternative infrastructure and human resources for the second wave.

"Victoria is the only hospital which can serve thousands of poor non-Covid patients in a single day. The number of Covid admissions on Friday was 130-140. For around 100-150 people they are keeping the thousands of lives of non-Covid patients at risk. We have decided to work exclusively for non-Covid care where we can serve and learn. From Monday, we will dedicate ourselves completely for non-Covid care," he said.

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