Navi Mumbai: 20 NMMC nurses shifted to DY Patil Hospital for Covid care; former corporator objects

NAVI MIMBAI: The former corporator and chairperson of the civic health committee, Raju Shinde, has questioned the NMMC over its latest order to transfer 20 nurses from the municipal hospitals to Dr DY Patil Hospital in Nerul for taking care of Covid patients. Sinde has written to the civic body that this move will create a shortage of nursing staff in the Airoli and Nerul civic hospitals.
"It is not a wise move to shift our senior municipal nurses from the Airoli and Nerul civic hospitals to a private hospital. Why can't the new medical recruits be posted to Dr D Y Patil hospital for this purpose? The nursing staff are also not happy by this decision of NMMC," said Shinde.
On Wednesday, a group of the affected municipal nurses also met the head of NMMC health department, Dr D Ghadge, to have an urgent discussion on this issue. However, they were strictly told to follow the official order.
"We nurses have spent over 20 years in service with NMMC. It feels rather shocking to be told to go to a private hospital to take care of the patients there. However, to retain our jobs, we have to follow the orders," said a nurse on the condition of anonymity.
When contacted on Thursday, the municipal commissioner, Abhijit Bangar, said: "This decision to shift the senior nurses to the ward of Dr DY Patil hospital had to be taken as experienced staff are required there. A new recruit may not be able to be as efficient as the senior nursing staff. Also, the Airoli and Nerul civic hospitals are non-Covid units, and so the requirement is more in Covid wards."
Bangar further added that they do have adequate oxygen beds for the patients; however, there can be a shortage of ICU beds in the city in near future if the number of patients increase steeply. At present, there are 560 ICU beds in municipal and private hospitals within NMMC jurisdiction.