Usage of PPE kits reduced by health personnel while attending Covid patients!

Aurangabad, May 8:

The fear of spreading Coronavirus seems to have become a thing of the past for health employees, this year, as instead of wearing PPE kits, they are focussing on wearing masks and gloves while attending the Covid-19 patients in the hospitals.

During last year, the health personnel including doctors were unaware of the spreading pattern of Coronavirus, therefore, they were not going near the patient without wearing a PPE kit. This year, things seem to have changed and the health personnel are avoiding wearing the PPE kits, but are working hard for the recovery of the patients.

It may be noted that the PPE kit is being worn for six hours while on duty, apart from the face mask. Hence the personnel would grieve that they were unable to drink water or even go for urinals etc. In addition, there were complaints about giddiness and dehydration, etc. Presently the city's temperature is 38 degrees celsius. In this situation, if they wear the kit then they would start sweating immediately. Hence the ratio of using the kit while on duty has been reduced.

MARD president Dr. Abasaheb Tidke said," PPE kit is not doubt preferred while treating the patient. We had to work in the wards for 10 hours. All this pushes us to face inconvenience. Hence the usage of wearing the PPE kit has been reduced these days."

According to another doctor, " If any doctor wearing PPE kit is in the ICU and he needs the help of another doctor in connection with the treatment of a patient. Then the other doctor does not waste time wearing the PPE kit. As the fear of Coronavirus has been reduced the wearing PPE kit has also reduced automatically. One thing is clear that nobody removes the mask."

Adds the secretary of Government Nursing Staff Association, Indumati Thorat, " The PPE kit is being worn while attending the patient. It is true that the fear of the disease has been reduced. Earlier, the kit was being worn while working the table as well. Now it is not. However, all safety measures are in operation."

One Covid patient points out, " The doctor and other health personnel should be in PPE kit while they are coming in the special ward. Many of them would use to come near the patient without wearing a PPE kit. This means the fear about the disease does not remain in their minds. However, this gesture was giving us confidence in recovering our health."

It may be noted that there are 32 Covid Care Centres (CCCs) in the district. The patients undergoing treatment in these CCCs are attended by 256 doctors and 869 health personnel. Besides, there are 69 dedicated hospitals in the district where the patients are attended by 552 doctors and 1932 health workers.