Mumbai: Nurses demand better facilities

Jan Swasthaya Abhiyan also raised the issue of poor access to food and water. It also highlighted poor facilities in quarantine centres due to shortage of housekeeping staff.(Representational)

Demanding better quarantine facilities for Covid-19 nursing staff and PPEs for nurses working in non-Covid-19 facilities, an umbrella body of nursing associations has written to municipal commissioner I S Chahal. Jan Swasthya Abhiyan said that since the last two months nothing has changed in the working condition of nurses.

In a letter to Chahal, Jan Swasthaya Abhiyan said that after a nurse tests positive then they have to struggle for hours for hospital admission. They also raised the issue of poor access to food and water. It also highlighted poor facilities in quarantine centres due to shortage of housekeeping staff.

Dr Swati Rane, vice president of Clinical Nursing Research Society, said that the BMC should maintain a live dashboard of number of infected health personnel and vacant beds in each hospital. “The BMC should also set up separate Covid care wards in hospitals and dedicated Covid health centres for health workers… Also, salaries of all health workers should be fully protected during the period of isolation and quarantine.”

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Helath) Suresh Kakani said that all the demands of healthcare staff have been addressed. “If there are any issues we will look into it,” he said.