The Delhi government has refuted the allegations that the newly set-up ICU facility is battling the shortage of medical staff.
Reacting to the purported claims that the newly set-up ICU 500 bedded ICU facility annexed to GTB hospital has less staff to man the patients, the officials told The Statesman that the allegations are baseless, adding that the hiring for the facility is in “continuous process.”
Delhi govt refutes the allegations of staff crunch at newly set-up annexed to GTB Hospital. The nodal officer informed that hiring of staff for the particular facility is continued.
The officials informed that over 300 nurses, 168 resident docs, 35 technicians and 15 senior consultants have joined. “More will join as the hiring goes on,” they added.
The figures were also corroborated by a nodal officer of the makeshift ICU facility, Dr BL Sherwal who is also the director at Delhi government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital.
“I can vouch that the input about a shortage of staff is purely a rumour. Whatever staff we have is enough for the beds we have made operational so far. Besides, we are continuously adding more people on honorarium,” Sherwal said while speaking to The Statesman.
He said that out of the total, 150 beds have been made operational so far. Around 40 patients are admitted for now. “We have ample staff for the operational beds and more will be hired as we keep ramping up the facility,” Sherwal said.
The Delhi government on Wednesday last week had started the intensive care facility partially near the GTB Hospital in East Delhi.
The temporary facility is fully air-conditioned, has oxygen generation plants and free Wi-Fi for patients.
A similar facility is being created at the main Ramlila Ground near Lok Nayak hospital.
On April 27, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced the setting up of these two intensive care facilities at the Ramlila grounds in central Delhi and east Delhi as well as adding 200 ICU beds at the Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre.