Scores of doctors and healthcare staff at the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) in Gachibowli here are living under the fear of termination of services, as the COVID-19 cases have come down in the city and elsewhere in the State.
They have reportedly received feelers from the higher authorities that their contract ending by March 31 may not be renewed further.
“Though we are yet to receive official communication, we have been told that we may have to leave after the contract expires at the end of the financial year,” shared a doctor from TIMS on the condition of anonymity.
TIMS was established as a super specialty research hospital by converting the existing infrastructure of a 15-storey sports hostel in Gachibowli, during the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
In view of the shortage of beds and excessive billing by private corporate hospitals, the 1,224-bed facility was dedicated for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. A total of 1,000 beds were equipped with oxygen support and 50 with ventilator support.
During the past two years of COVID pandemic, the hospital has reportedly treated close to 15,000 patients, of whom 10,000 were admitted as in-patients, a large number of them requiring oxygen.
It would not be an exaggeration to state that the hospital would not have been able to function if not for the dedicated team of doctors and support staff who had to look after the patients infected with the deadly Delta variant. For over 1,000 beds which were filled during the thick of the second wave last year, only 90 doctors and about 250 paramedical staff were serving at the hospital. A large majority were junior doctors fresh out of college.
“We did not have time for our families. Some of us stayed the entire duration of the pandemic inside the hospital, for the fear of infecting our family members if we went home. We were available 24 hours for the patients,” a doctor from the hospital recalled.
During the second wave, there was acute shortage of paramedics and supporting staff, not to speak of experienced doctors. With specialists not willing to visit owing to fear of the pandemic, the burden fell on the shoulders of the junior doctors. “We worked with utmost dedication, and sent home a large number of patients after treatment,” the doctor said.
Only about 1,600 patients could not be saved, with the remaining discharged after treatment.
With the pandemic waning, the facility has been converted into a general hospital, treating patients of all kinds. Due to lack of publicity, recruitment, and development, not many know of TIMS, let alone approach it for treatment. Contracts of the staff, which were renewed during the second wave, may not be considered for renewal this time, doctors fear.
Sources at the hospital allege that the government is not keen on continuing the services and developing the hospital due to political reasons. Higher officials, however, remained mum on the issue.