At the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS), the senior resident doctors had started boycotting duties from Saturday demanding quarantine leaves. The TIMS Director had issued a press release stating that the facility of quarantine leaves has not been instructed by the Government of India as per the advisory dated June 18, 2020.

In the lockdown period and for some time after that, the healthcare staff in government hospitals were provided with quarantine leaves during their COVID-19 duties, to reduce risk of contracting the coronavirus infection for them as well their families. But, in the advisory that is dated June 18 the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has mentioned that quarantine is not necessary for any healthcare employee apart from those workers who are at high risk.

On Saturday, the Director of Medical Education mentioned that the quarantine leaves are cancelled and strict action will be taken against the employee who does not follow the norm or protests against it.

The press release also mentioned that quarantine leaves were initially given in the lockdown period but now have been removed as it is not instructed. It further stated that all the necessary precautions to prevent coronavirus infection among healthcare professionals are taken in TIMS, including provision of PPE kits, surgical gloves, N-95 masks and sanitizer to all their work force who are on COVID-19 duties. TIMS has a Hospital Infection Control Committee (HICC) that is in charge of executing the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures.

The release further stated that salaries till October 2020 have also been paid to all contractual workers (i.e. medical officers, faculty doctors, staff nurses along with the paramedical staff) and also the senior residents are also paid their stipend.

Source: The New Indian Express