The CRPF has recalled all its doctors and paramedical staff on sanctioned long leave to augment requirements of their services at various hospitals of the paramilitary for treatment of Covid-hit patients.
“There is a remarkable upsurge of Covid-19 positive cases in the second wave of the pandemic in the country and the Covid Care Centres and Composite Hospitals of CRPF are facing great difficulties to provide treatment to Covid patients due to scarcity of adequate strength of Medical Officers and paramedical staff,” reads a recent order.
It further said there is a “huge” vacancy of paramedical staff (almost 42 per cent. Besides this, medical officers and paramedical staff have also been detailed outside the Force for deployment at Covid Care Centres at DRDO Covid hospitals in Ahmedabad and Delhi Cantonment as also Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre at Chattarpur in the national capital.
“Some of the Medical Officers and paramedical staff in the force are on long leave as a routine manner. Therefore, the scarcity of Medical Officers and paramedical staff in the Force may somehow be resolved if they are recalled from long leave,” said the order issued by the Medical Directorate of the CRPF.
Now onwards, medical officers and paramedical staff may not be sent on leave except in extreme emergencies during the Covid crisis situation.
“As approved by the competent authority, medical officers and paramedical staff who have proceeded on long leave in routine manner may be recalled from leave, except those who are in leave due to extreme emergency for a short period so that their services can be utilized in various Covid Care Centres, Composite Hospitals and Unit Hospitals in handling the Covid-19 pandemic,” it added.
The paramilitary has a large number of hospitals with an authorized pool of about 740 doctors, including specialists and over 3,000 paramedical and nursing staff.
Till last week, a total of 23,588 CRPF personnel contracted the viral disease of which 21,649 patients recovered from the pandemic and 121 personnel succumbed to coronavirus infection. As many as 1,818 patients continued to suffer from the coronavirus infection during the period. All these figures are highest among the paramilitary forces.