PGI’s diktat against pooling in for PPE kits irks doctors

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 15

The union said medical technologists, hospital attendants and sanitation attendants involved in taking throat swab, nasal swab, blood, body fluids, etc, of Covid patients in virology, microbiology, biochemistry, haematology, etc, had not been provided with PPEs instead they were just given surgical gowns.

Besides, the laboratory attendants posted to take samples from Covid patients at the Nehru Extension Block had also not been provided PPEs and N95 masks, it said.

Ashwani Munjal, president of the PGI Employees Union, said, “We strongly condemn the arbitrary orders restricting the allied health workers from arranging their own protective equipment. This shows the insensitiveness and lack of compassion towards the welfare the health workers and their families.”

Dr Neeraj Nagpal, convenor, Medicos Legal Action Group, Chandigarh, said, “PGIMER is the last hope for those with serious illness whether it is Covid-19 or postpartum haemorrhage. Junior and senior residents in the institute are the frontline warriors in the fight against Covid and they have been abandoned by the authorities and are fighting the battle unequipped.”

Dr Nagpal said, “The protective gear which is being sold five times more than the normal price obviously cannot be provided to all resident doctors and even now at the PGIMER, they are provided only to select departments. Doctors in some departments, which are dangerously exposed to the virus, have decided to collect funds from within themselves and their family and friends to directly purchase PPEs.”