IMA writes to GoI over AIIMS order to discontinue contact tracing of exposed HCWs

Indian Medical Association on Tuesday wrote to the Government of India expressing resentment towards the order and said, “When the HCW (healthcare worker) is exposed to COVID positive patient and get asymptomatic COVID, he is still a carrier and can spread infection to many in the pretext of executing treatment to poor patients. Not testing their disease status at the pretext of shortage of staff is lethal to fraternity and community.”

Days after AIIMS said that only the symptomatic HCWs will be tested for COVID-19, only those testing positive will be isolated and the quarantine of asymptomatic contacts will be discontinues, the IMA expressed resentment towards the order and said that it shows “unhumanitarian attitude” towards healthcare workers who work with dedication and sincerity, amidst valiant threat to their families’ life with COVID to rescue and safeguard human kind, ANI reported.

Through the letter to PM Modi, Dr Harsh Vardhan and Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, IMA further said that it wants to set alarm the bell once again to highlight the impeding manpower shortage during the pandemic.

It further requested to conduct the NEET PG and INCET PG exams on war footing, to make many postgraduates and junior doctors to join the service.