Doctors under Covid-19 attack, over 100 test positive in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: Frontline warriors against Covid-19 are under attack. At least four doctors have died and 100 plus doctors have got infected with the virus in Ahmedabad which is the second most affected city in the country. Overall, some 200-plus frontline warriors including doctors, nurses and paramedical staff has contracted the infection while serving the people.
Medical fraternity in the city, identified as a national hotspot, is keeping a close count as more and more of their peers -- phsyicians, intensivists, otherpedic surgeons, neuro-surgeons, radiologists, gynecologists and general surgeons -- have been infected with corona.At least four doctors namely Dr Aditya Upadhyay, Dr Kamlesh Tailor, Dr Ramesh Patel and Dr MA Ansari have succumbed to the viral infection while discharging their duties to the society, said AMA officials.
Among those tested positive in past couple of days included Dr Bharat Shah, ex-dean of BJ Medical College who is admitted to UN Mehta Heart Institute on Civil Hospital campus. Senior BJP leader and former in-charge of state party's doctor cell Dr Anil Patel has also tested positive.
On Wednesday, a list of over 40 doctors who have tested positive for coronavirus was doing rounds in the social media groups of doctors. Majority of these are private doctors.
In designated Covid hospitals in Civil and SVP Hospital and GCRI Covid wing, 60-70 doctors have tested positive. Sources said that 18 doctors from Civil, 36 from GCRI and 11 from SVP have tested positive. If one considers overall staff, nurses and paramedics, the number could easily go north of 200.
‘Infections among doctors mean testing rules must be loosened’
Dr Mona Desai, president of Ahmedabad Medical Association (AMA), said that the number of private doctors who have got infected with Covid-19 could be upwards of 40. “We are in process of collating the names and details from different sources but we can say that at least 40 private doctors, apart from those infected at government hospitals, have tested positive,” she said.
TOI reached out to several of them and found that while majority of the doctors indeed tested positive and were under treatment, a few had taken test and had tested negative.
Indian Medical Association (IMA) members said that it unfortunate that such a large number of doctors have tested positive despite taking all precaution such as wearing masks and PPEs.
Doctors said that high number of doctors falling prey to Covid-infection underscores the need for government to loosen control over Corona testing. “The issue of testing again comes up in light of the new cases. How would one know the source of infection? Did the doctor contract infection from a patient or from the environment? When the tests are not done in time and when the doctors must carry out medical procedures, they are likely to get infected,” said a senior city-based surgeon. “One of the doctors testing positive is a young anaesthetist associated with several doctors. Even an intensive care specialist is admitted on Wednesday.”