India invites retired doctors to join fight against coronavirus

New Delhi: The government is looking for volunteer doctors to fight the COVID-19 outbreak which has infected over 600 people in the country and has taken more than 19,000 lives across the globe.

In a statement posted on Niti Aayog's website on Wednesday, the government appealed to retired government, Armed Forces Medical Services, public sector undertaking or a private doctor to come forward and join the efforts of the government to fight the deadly virus.

Those who wish to contribute to this and be a part of this nobel mission to serve the country may register themselves on a link provided on the official website of the Niti Aayog.

The Government of India requests for volunteer doctors who are fit and willing to be available for providing their services in the public health facilities and the training hospitals in the near future.

We appeal to such doctors to come forward at this hour of need. You could also be a retired government, Armed Forces Medical Services, public sector undertaking or a private doctor, the statement said.

It noted that in case the outbreak leads to a high number of infected individuals, India's public health facilities will face tremendous load to take care of the large number of patients.

"This overwhelming burden may not be met by the available doctors in the public health system. The Central and state governments are augmenting and expediting increase in healthcare services in every part of the country. In addition, COVID-19 'train hospitals' are being created in this regard," it added.

The country is facing an unprecedented public health emergency with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting several parts of the nation.

The Central and state governments have made exceptional efforts to combat the crisis along with the involvement of all citizens.

Coronavirus cases in the country crossed 600 on Wednesday as authorities beefed up preparedness to fight the pandemic with a chain of hospitals of the Army ordnance factories and central paramilitary forces  earmarking over 2,000 beds for isolation and treatment of  people affected by COVID-19.         In addition, the Hamirpur district administration in Himachal Pradesh took over all the ten hostels with 2,000 rooms of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) for creating an isolation centre.

A 2,200-bed state-run hospital in Kolkata has stopped admitting new patients who are suffering from other diseases and was discharging patients whose condition had improved as part of efforts to create a dedicated isolation centre.