New Delhi, April 3 : Amid the surge in Covid-19 cases in the national capital and the Delhi government pushing for a mass level vaccination drive, several Delhi Government-run hospitals have reported a staff crunch.The hospital authorities said that after the vaccination for people of 45 years and above started (from April 1), more people are coming forward for the vaccine jabs and they would need more staff.
The hospital authorities told IANS that they planned to increase the number of vaccination sites to inoculate more people in the coming days.Dr O P Chaudhary, senior doctor in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital said, “LNJP has been vaccinating at an average 150-200 per day at two sites, after April 1 the number of daily vaccination doses have reached to around 350-400.So we are planning to setup at least three more sites.”
The hospital authorities have also pointed out that non-medical staff deployed at vaccination sites have been another concern.“On an average, 4-5 non-medical people are deployed at each vaccination site.They are deployed mainly for observing the patients after vaccination doses are given and for some other assistance also.
As they are non-medical staff and not trained for the purpose, they sometime fail in observing the condition of people vaccinated at the site and at the end we find difficulties,” said Dr Amit Gupta, who is in-charge of administration in LNJP hospital.
Gupta stated that shortage of medical staff in LNJP has emerged because several medical staff have been deployed at private hospitals, which can be done by the government in these pandemic times.“Several medical staff members have been sent to private hospitals and at present LNJP has a shortage of around 50 medical staff,” Gupta added.
Dr B L Sher, Director of Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, another health institute under the Delhi government, said the department has planned to enhance the number of vaccination sites from 2 to 6 for which additional medical staff and non-medical staff would be required.“We have sent our recommendations to the Delhi government.We have demanded medical staff and non-medical staff and some equipment as well.”
When asked if school teachers are deployed at vaccination sites in the hospital, Sher replied that “school teachers are deployed mainly as observers and for non-medical work
.