Approximately 23,000 qualified health professionals, which includes 935 doctors, have volunteered to help the Punjab government to fight against coronavirus pandemic. As in coming days, much help would be needed to the overstretched workforce in this hour of need.

Punjab is 2nd worst affected region after Haryana with 72 positive cases and 7 deaths till Sunday evening, It is ranked 14th in the overall national count. The outbreak of deadly coronavirus has put great load on the state’s health infrastructure.

Due to the shortage of doctors, last week the state government had appealed to medical professionals such as specialists, MBBS and Ayurveda doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lab technicians, radiographers, and auxiliary nurse midwifery (ANM) and ward attendants to join the efforts. Those who are interested in volunteering their service are been asked to register on the official website of the health department.

On Friday, 49 specialists from different fields such as medicine (34), chest and TB (3), emergency medicine (10) and anaesthesia (2) with 518 MBBS medical officers and 368 ayureveda medical officers got enrolled on the health department’s website as volunteers. Also 6,040 staff nurses, 2,023 lab technicians, 2,503 pharmacists, 243 radiographers, 2836 ANM and 8,201 ward attendants offered their services. All these volunteers will be provided online training and the health department will prepare a module.

The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) stated that a good number of doctors who are volunteering their service would give a lift to the government while fighting against coronavirus.

PCMSA president Dr Gagandeep Singh said that extra workforce of doctors and paramedic staff will definitely help the government to develop a backup. He also urged the government to continue the supply of safety equipment’s for doctors and other medical staff.

Source: ET Healthworld