Around 430 health professionals including 182 physicians and 66 nurses contracted coronavirus in the country so far, causing panic among the frontline fighters. Currently, over 500 physicians, nurses and medical technologists are passing their days in quarantine.

Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Secretary General Ehteshamul Huq Choudhury disclosed the information to daily sun on Wednesday.

The government should immediately train up young doctors, nurses and other medical staff so that they can keep themselves safe while providing treatment, he said.

The government should identify the reason behind coronavirus infection among the physicians, nurses and other medical staff and resolve the problem immediately, he also said.

The government has dedicated Kurmitola General Hospital, Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, Sheikh Rasel Gastroliver Hospital and Institute, Railway Hospital, Mohanagar General Hospital and Mirpur Lalkuthi Hospital in Dhaka city for the covid-19 patients.

The health ministry sources said Regent hospital in Uttara and Mirpur and Sajida Foundation hospital are also admitting corona patients.

Prof Dr Nasima Sultana, Additional Director General (administration) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) told the daily sun: “Many physicians, nurses and other medical staffs have already been infected with the coronavirus. If such situation continues then the covid-19 treatment services may be hampered. The private physicians, nurses and medical staffs should come forward.”

She said they are already talking with different organsiations to involve the private physicians, nurses and other medical staffs in the covid-19 treatment activities.

The health and family welfare minister Zahid Maleque said more 2,000 beds are being prepared at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) for the covid-19 patients while 1300 more beds in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and 1200 beds in four buildings in Diabari of Uttara.

“A total of 4,500 beds are being prepared for coronavirus patients in the capital. Some other hospitals including Mugda general hospital, a portion of NITOR hospital and burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital may also be prepared for the covid-19 patients,” he said.

In this situation, people are also worried about getting proper treatment for coronavirus infection as panic has gripped a large number of physicians and health staff of government and private hospitals.

Talking to the daily sun, a physician of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital wishing not to be named said they are feeling unsafe in providing health services to the patients who bear symptoms of the coronavirus as the covid-19 is very much communicable and it can spread through body contact, coughing and sneezing.

Dr Asraful Hoque Sium, an associate professor at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) told the daily sun that many doctors, nurses and other medical staffs are being infected with the coronavirus due to wearing low quality PPE, lack of knowledge about wearing the protective gears properly and many patients come contact of the physicians hiding their true health history.

Talking to daily sun, Dr Md Jamal Uddin Chowdhury, member of executive committee of Bangladesh Medical & Dental Council, said there are around 80,000 registered doctors and around 29,000 of them are working to provide government services including hospitals.

He said there are a total of around 40,000 registered nurses while around 30,000 of them are working to provide government services including hospitals.

According to the medical colleges and nursing institutes, there are around 50,000 medical students and  thousands of nursing students in the country.

“The government should train the volunteers or community workers to tackle the coronavirus situation as it has already a lack of adequate physician, nurses and other necessary medical staff,” Prof Dr Saif Ullah Munshi, Chairman of Department of Virology of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), told daily sun.

Bangladesh on March 8 confirmed the first Covid-19 patient in the country and the first death from the disease was reported on March 10.

Nasima Sultana said a total of 3,772 coronavirus patients have been detected and the total death toll is 120 till the day.

“The coronavirus has spread to 55 districts while the Dhaka city and Dhaka division are mostly affected. Some 499 people are diagnosed with coronavirus and 35 died in Narayanganj district while 365 detected in the Narayanganj city,” she said at a regular health bulletin on Wednesday.

Amid the worsening coronavirus situation in the country, the government has extended the general holiday for another eleven days till April 25 to prevent the spread of the pandemic.