Covid-19: West Bengal govt to hire 17,000 doctors to monitor those in home isolation

In a bid to curb the sudden deterioration of the condition of Covid-19 patients under home isolation, the West Bengal government has decided to hire 17,000 doctors to ensure regular monitoring of such cases.

According to sources in the health department, the decision was taken after it came to the notice that a large number of patients were overlooking initial signs of deterioration of their physical condition.

“The patients contact doctors only when their condition becomes very critical. The decision has been taken to ensure regular medical supervision of such patients,” a health department official said. The patients would be provided free medical supervision. At present, the health department is monitoring such patients through tele-callers. There are about 97,000 Covid-19 patients under home isolation.

Health department sources further revealed that the doctors would be trained by the Indian Medical Association and each would monitor a patient regularly. Whenever they notice any deterioration in the health of the patient, they would immediately inform the local administration and the Health Department so that appropriate action could be taken.

Another reason behind the decision was that it had come to the notice of the Health Department that a large number of patients under home isolation were unwilling to go to hospitals or safe homes and hence putting them under regular medical supervision had become all the more necessary.

“The tendency to reach out to the Health Department only when their condition severely deteriorates is putting the lives of these patients at greater risk,” a Health Department official said.

As on Thursday, there were 3,65,692 Covid-19 cases in the state out of which, 37,094 cases are active. So far, 6,725 Covid-19 patients have died and 32,873 persons have recovered from the infection.