With few caretakers, hospital staff complain of burnout

Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine DR TS Selvavinayagam had issued an order on May 15 stating that visitors and attendants will not be allowed to meet COVID patients inside isolation wards as they might become spreaders.

But caretakers at the hospitals rue that the hospitals do not have proper facilities or an adequate number of professional caretakers. “After the announcement that attendants are not allowed inside the isolation ward, we stay at the hospital and take care of the patients round the clock. Attenders are allowed only to give home-cooked food to the patients. However, some have our phone number, and are in frequent touch with us to check on the patient’s status,” said R Arun Kumar, a professional caretaker at a government hospital.

Caretakers are either appointed by the hospitals or by patients’ kin from manpower agencies that have mushroomed recently.

“For the past two weeks, the hospital has only limited caretakers to take care of the COVID patients. We have to look after them round the clock without sleep. Even though management pays us for overtime, it has become too stressful to manage the situation, as we are working all day without break,” said Arun Kumar.

The caretakers accept that there is a shortage of staff in both government and private hospitals as they are feared as the virus is spreading faster and the COVID cases are spiking day by day. “Every day we come across many COVID patients below the age of 35 who die. Also, it is difficult to manage so many patients with limited caretakers, so many quit their job. The hospital management provides us with face masks, gloves, and PPE kits, but there is no proper facility as we have to stay at the hospital daily,” said Silambarasan P, another caretaker working at the hospital.

A doctor from Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital said, “We were seeing a crowd of patients in the COVID wards and as a result at least four to five people from the same family were getting infected. We have additional staff to take care of the patients in the COVID-19 ward.”

Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, DR TS Selvavinayagam said the hospitals have a sufficient number of caretakers. “If any COVID patient wants a caretaker they are allowed by following the protocols and wearing masks and PPE kits. They must also ensure that they stay inside the hospital and avoid going out unnecessarily, as they will get exposed and transmit the virus,” he said.