Over 200 doctors and paramedics of the Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar and its associated hospitals here have tested Covid-19 positive in the last two weeks.
This could severely hamper efforts of health administration as it battles with the third wave of COVID and rise in cases of Omicron variant.
Professor and HoD Community Medicine, SPM, GMC Srinagar, Dr S. Muhammad Salim Khan told Kashmir Observer on Thursday that more 200 doctors and paramedics have tested Covid-19 positive since last two weeks.
“No one has been admitted. However, they have been in isolation,” he said.
Khan said that he fears that more health workers might contract infection in the coming days.
“If more people test Covid-19 positive, this will hit the health care,” he said, adding “If care providers are infected, it’s an issue,”
Doctors from SMHS told Kashmir Observer that Omicron spreads at much faster rate and has a tendency to infect more and more people.
While sharing the data, the senior doctor said, at least 109 doctors and 98 paramedics of GMC Srinagar and its associated hospitals have contracted the virus since January 1 this year.
The data further reveals that 39 doctors have tested positive from SMHS Hospital, 15 from LD Hospital and 11 from Super Specialty Hospital Shireen Bagh, 9 from Bone and joint hospital creating a challenging situation for the health sector to deal with Covid-19.
He also urged the people to follow SoPs, wear face masks and take all other precautions.
A Covid-19 positive doctor from SMHS told Kashmir Observer that over 50 of his colleagues are not well and might have contracted the virus.
“The transmission rate of Omicron is very high. It spreads like anything,” Dr. Atif Sanae who is posted in SMHS told Kashmir Observer.
Meanwhile, authoritative sources said that the hospitals are running short of doctors and around 500 from the fresh batches are waiting to join and can be a huge boost to hospitals.
“Unfortunately their counselling is yet to be done by BOPEE. They can do it within a week and over 500 doctors can join us,” said a doctor.