The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Secretary Dr. Senal Fernando said 100 doctors have been infected with Covid-19 and around 35 Sri Lankan doctors are receiving medical treatment.
Around 150 doctors are now being quarantined, he said. He told the media in Colombo yesterday that a large number of health staff members such as nurses and PHIs are being quarantined and when health staff test Covid-19 positive, a large number of contacts need to be quarantined because they come in contact with many people while delivering health services.
If the health service collapses, the country will face a huge disaster. Therefore, every possible step should be taken to protect health staff members from Covid-19, he said. During the first round of Covid-19 Sri Lankan health staff did not face any threat but since January, several doctors got infected, he said.
Doctors and health staff members should be given priority when vaccinating against Covid-19. It is the responsibility of the health authorities to communicate the risk of the pandemic to the people accurately and adequately to protect the health staff and the people from Covid-19, he added.