India Delays Medical Exams; Pulls Trainee Doctors to Join Covid Battle
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4 May 2021 19:53 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As the pandemic worsens in India, the country is left scrambling not only due to the lack of respirators and hospital beds, but also doctors. The government has now resorted to delaying national examinations for medical students, including trainee doctors and nurses, so they can join the nation's battle against the second wave of Covid-19.
As of this writing, India's total caseload has exceeded 20.2 million, with more than 222,000 people dead. Daily cases continue to surge at a rate of some 300,000 per day, which experts say could actually be higher.
As medical facilities near breaking point, the government postponed an exam for doctors and nurses to allow some to join the COVID-19 frontline alongside existing personnel, it said in a statement.
Volunteer groups have also been brought in to help, such as for from providing oxygen to patients. Every 20 minutes or so, a new patient came in.
Experts are demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, to impose a national lockdown.
The new Covid-19 variant that is ravaging India has reached at least 17 countries including Britain, Iran and Switzerland. Many countries have shut borders to travelers from India to prevent the strain from entering their lands.
ISTMAN MP | REUTERS
