Safety norms not followed, say nurses, doctors at Gurugram’s lone Covid hospital

Ipsita Pati | TNN | Updated: May 5, 2020, 13:25 IST

<p>The nurses at the hospital alleged that the housekeeping and security staffers have not undergone any training on do’s and don’ts.<br></p>

<p>The nurses at the hospital alleged that the housekeeping and security staffers have not undergone any train...Read More

GURUGRAM: Medical staff at ESIC Hospital in Sector 9 — the only designated Covid facility in the district — have alleged that the hospital is lacking in safety standards and has not taken the necessary precautions.
None of the four ventilators at the hospital, where 20 Covid patients are currently admitted, is functioning, the health workers have claimed. Moreover, the facility has been operating without a fire safety certificate, the fire department confirmed.
The 126-bed ESIC Hospital, which has 196 employees, including 72 doctors and 80 nurses, was declared a Covid hospital last month. So far, 14 health workers in the district have tested positive for Covid-19, raising concern among staff about the safety standards.
Many doctors and nurses working in ESIC Hospital’s Covid ward claimed they are at risk and alleged that the hospital was not following the guidelines issued by the home ministry. They said they have written to the civil surgeon about the matter but no action has been taken yet.
“We have already informed the authorities that there are no N95 masks and proper head/shoe cover for staff working in the non-Covid-19 sections. Also, the quality of PPE kits for staff in the Covid-19 isolation ward is poor,” said a 24-year-old nurse at the hospital.
Doctors warned that there was no proper barrier to separate the Covid treatment section from the staff quarters.
“The hospital doesn’t have any proper division for critical patients, which can expose others. Also, there are no ventilators. Nurses and paramedics have already submitted their demands regarding the inadequate infrastructure and lack of safety equipment,” said a doctor at the hospital, not wishing to be named.
Some doctors suggested that health workers on Covid duty should be called in only if required to avoid undue exposure to those who are not posted in the isolation ward.
The nurses at the hospital alleged that the housekeeping and security staffers have not undergone any training on do’s and don’ts.
“Many are not aware about the differences in their duties in Covid and non-Covid areas. We have asked authorities to direct the respective departments to take immediate action and address our concerns,” said another nurse.
The hospital needed an infrastructure upgrade before it started admitting Covid patients, but this wasn’t taken care of, some staffers said. Besides this, they pointed out hygiene issues, saying a sewage tank is being constructed and waste is being regularly dumped in the drain.
JS Punia, chief medical officer, Gurugram, dismissed the claims. “I visited the hospital on Saturday with my staff and we found all facilities in place. I have spoken to nurses and doctors working at the hospital. Things are absolutely normal there. We have been taking care of all the health workers in the district to avoid any spread of the novel coronavirus,” he said.