Bangladesh Doctors Foundation (BDF), a forum of physicians, has said 170 doctors -- both in public and private hospitals -- have got infected with coronavirus in the country as of Monday morning.
“A total of 170 doctors have got infected with coronavirus until 11:09am on Monday,” said Nirupam Das, the chief administrator of the foundation.
Among the infected doctors, 143 are in Dhaka division, and 27 of different government and private hospitals in other divisions of the country, he said.
Asked about the safety of doctors while treating COVID-19 patients, Dr Nirupam said the situation is improving as the Prime Minister’s Office has started monitoring the overall situation.
Implementation of the ‘Triage Strategy’ for treating COVID-19 patients is underway, said Dr Nirupam adding that the risks pf doctors will reduce significantly once the system is launched.
He said personal protective equipment (PPE), quality gown, mask, gloves, and goggles are mandatory for doctors’ safety while treating COVID-29 patients.
UNB received a list of the hospitals and the number of infected doctors from BDF that shows 94 physicians got infected while working in government hospitals while 33 in private hospitals.
Meanwhile, eight doctors at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka and eight of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) were also tested positive for coronavirus, the BDF shows.
In Dhaka, Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital (SSMCH) is the most vulnerable hospital for doctors as 25 of them were confirmed with the virus, the BDF says.
Its data also shows 22 doctors in Kishoreganj and 14 in Narayanganj were tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, 14 doctors at Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial KPJ Specialized Hospital & Nursing College in Gazipur were infected with the virus, the BDF reveals.
Apart from the Dhaka division, 27 doctors were infected with coronavirus in six other divisions-- seven in Mymensingh, seven in Chattogram, three in Rangpur, three in Khulna, six in Barishal, and one in Sylhet, the BDF says.
Asked about the process of collecting the number of infected doctors, the BDF chief said their representatives in hospitals confirmed the cases.
After confirmation from the representative in hospitals, the BDF cross-checked the number from civil surgeons, the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and called the infected doctors randomly.
The rotation system of doctors for treating coronavirus patients has already started, said Dr Nirupam adding that this will also reduce the doctors’ infection rate.
Bangladesh has so far confirmed 101 deaths and 2,948 coronavirus cases.
Meanwhile, Additional Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Nasima Sultana said, "We’re in a great crisis”.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday directed the authorities concerned to strengthen monitoring so that genuine masks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are supplied to all concerned to prevent the coronavirus transmission.
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