July 16, 2020: Indian Medical Association (IMA) issued a ‘red alert’ for medicos and medical administrators involved in coronavirus containment efforts and asked them to raise their guard while announcing that a total of 99 doctors have succumbed to COVID-19 so far.

According to IMA National COVID registry data, 1,302 doctors have contracted the disease so far including the 99, who eventually fell to the disease. 73 of the deceased doctors were above the age of 50 years, while 19 were in the age-group of 35-50 and the remaining seven were below 35 years.

“IMA declares RED ALERT to doctors and medical administrators to raise their guard. If COVID-19 mortality has to be lessened, it has to start with doctors and hospitals,” the doctors’ body said in a statement on Wednesday.

The IMA strongly advocated the leadership of doctors in adopting all scientific best practices.

This requires intense review and updating of all administrative set ups in the hospitals, including infection control protocols. Any gap in providing for the safety of doctors, nurses and staff have to be plugged, it said in the statement.

A feedback system from the doctors, employees and public needs to be put in place. Cleaning and sanitising protocols should be meticulously adhered to, the IMA said.

Among other measures, the medical body advised implementing a friendly and scientific batch posting method along with tempering the number of working hours guided by concerns of safety. It added that operation theaters, labour rooms, laboratories and casualties require special care and ICUs and Critical Care units needed close scrutiny for adherence to best practices and protocols.