Even as hospitals battling the worsening COVID-19 pandemic have been severely hamstrung by lack of staff, with private hospitals warning that the shortfall was up to 50 percent in hospitals in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka.

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According to doctors, who have sent out appeals for volunteers, the crisis worsened after hospitals were declared designated COVID centres. Staff have either left jobs or are reluctant to work in COVID-19 wards. The fear has disrupted even the normal workflow of catering to other patients in these hospitals, resulting in hospital operations difficult,” said Dr Prasanna HM, president-elect, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association.

“For COVID treatment, there are stringent quarantine guidelines for doctors and nurses. We can’t rope in medical and nursing students because they have returned home due to the lockdown,” he said.

Dr Prasanna said that a large number of nurses, who hail from Kerala, have also returned to their hometowns. Most of the hospitals are facing this crisis. Staff members are not ready to work at COVID wards for even double the salaries,” he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, who is in charge of COVID Care Centres in the city, admitted that there was a staff shortage. "They will have to mobilise staff and the government is taking all measures to reduce the burden on these hospitals,” he said. All issues will be addressed when CCCs are expanded in a big way, along with assistance from all medical colleges, he added.