Mangaluru: Hit by the paucity of manpower, the Health Department’s task force is feeling the heat amidst the corona crisis.

Due to this, the existing workers are made to put in 18 hours of work per day.

Despite all precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Dakshina Kannada district witnessed a spurt in the cases, in recent days.

It can be noted that a total of 16 cases were reported on a single day, two days ago. Though 15 are Dubai returnees among them and one is an elderly woman from Surathkal. Hence, the district has a big challenge in the coming days, in managing the spread of the virus.

A total of 180 doctors, nurses and other health workers, including those working in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC), Community Healthcare Centres (CHC) and Ayush Department are working at present. It is very less number when compared to their huge responsibility.

Health taskforce needs to check-up thousands of labourers every day. They need to give a report after conducting check-ups at the Airport, Railway station and border areas. Especially in border areas, these health workers need to work in three shifts. While female health workers engage in day duty, male workers works are deputed for the night shift.

As there is a shortage of staff, it is inevitable for the doctors, nurses and other health workers to work for 18 hours in a day.

However, without complaining, they have been working over the past two months. They have even not claimed a single leave.

“It is very sad that while conducting the health check-up of migrant labourers we need to work even up to 2 am in the night,” says health workers.

Despite Dakshina Kannada district unit of Indian Medical Association (IMA) promising to extend its help in the management of Covid-19, their help has not brought any respite as there are allegations that their cooperation is limited to the WhatsApp messages only.

It is said that the cooperation of private medical colleges too has been not satisfactory. While the doctors of KMC engage themselves in Covid Wenlock Hospital, the cooperation of other doctors from other medical colleges can be called minimal.

District administration has also failed to convince the private medical colleges and receive their help in this regard, say many.