COVID-19: AIIMS doctors use self-made hand sanitisers, masks, & PPEs amidst shortage

Amidst the soaring number of Coronavirus cases in India which has now crossed 170, medical professionals from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have started using self-made masks, sanitizers, and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to tackle the shortage in the availably of protective medical equipment. PPEs consist of masks, eye shields, shoe covers, gowns, and gloves which doctors wear while treating COVID19 patients.

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Healthcare professionals across the globe are battling with the shortage of PPEs which they need the most since they regularly come in contact with infected patients. At this stage of global crisis, the doctors of the microbiology department at AIIMS have started to build their own hand sanitizers and face shields (masks) in their laboratories. This decision was taken after meeting with the administration by Dr Purva Mathur, a professor of laboratory medicine who is in charge of the infection control department at AIIMS. 

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'PPEs provided by administration not enough'

"At AIIMS, we cannot take any chance. PPE has been provided by the administration, but these are not enough. So, we have to make other suitable alternatives. Apart from makeshift plastic face masks which can cover the entire face, we have also prepared alcohol-based hand sanitizers as per the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO). And it is always good to be fully prepared," said a senior doctor, from the department of infection control.

Another doctor of AIIMS revealed that as of now, they had prepared about 20 litres of makeshift hand sanitizers using the WHO guidelines and 100 plastic sheet face masks. "In the coming days, we would be able to prepare more of these protective items," said the doctor.

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'We request the administration to ensure availably'

The Resident Doctor's Association (RDA) has written a letter to Director Dr Randeep Guleria requesting him to look into the matter and ensure adequate availably of PPEs for the doctors and nurses. "A team of RDA executives inspected various wards to check the supply of PPE in the critical time of COVID-19 and sadly most of the wards do not have adequate universal precautionary components, "read the letter.

"We request the administration to take prompt action to ensure PPE availability around the clock for the safety of doctors and nurses," read the letter which is written by Dr Adarsh Pratap Singh, President of RDA. 

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(With ANI Inputs)