Hospitals turned their backs on us, say nurses with COVID-19

Staffers complain of unhygienic isolation facilities, lack of medical attention from employers, inadequate PPE

As the city’s healthcare system reels under the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, several of its frontline staff who have contracted the virus — mainly nurses — have complained of apathy from their employers.

Last week, staff nurses from Lilavati Hospital who were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 complained about the unhygienic conditions inside the civic-run COVID Care Centre at Mahatma Gandhi Seva Mandir in Bandra. Men and women were forced to share the same washroom, the nurses alleged. Soon, they were moved to another facility next to the hospital building. In the new facility too, the nurses said there is no adequate health assessment and nutrition given to them.

“Many of us have been coughing. When patients are normally admitted under us, we are told to carry out their X-rays routinely. But here, none of the nurses have undergone a single X-ray so far,” said a staff nurse, alleging that they have not been checked on by Lilavati doctors either.

“We are not even getting nutritious meals or multivitamins necessary to boost our immunity,” said another nurse. The group has approached the United Nurses Association with their complaints.

The nurses also alleged double standards when it came to treating healthcare staff. They said doctors who have been infected are being treated in-house, while nurses have been accommodated outside.

According to the hospital management, nearly 40 staff members have tested positive and more than 35 of their contacts, such as parents and spouses, have also contracted the infection. Some doctors have also tested positive, including two senior consultants who have been practising for over 20 years. “We have accommodated as many staff members as possible. But what does one do when the ward overflows?” Dr. V. Ravishankar, COO of Lilavati Hospital, said.

He rubbished allegations that doctors have not visited the staff. “Our doctors are checking on them. They are getting the same food that we get in the hospital,” he said. He said all employees have been given protective gear, and it is unlikely they picked up the infection on duty. “Many of the staff come from areas which are hotspots,” he said.

Nurses from the State-run JJ Hospital have raised similar grievances, saying that some of them have been accommodated at the isolation facility at Richardson and Cruddas warehouse in Byculla, where the conditions are extremely unhygienic and just a few toilets are being shared by many patients.

“The facility was filthy. There was no one to check my health condition. I had no choice but to move out of there to ensure that my health improves,” said one staff nurse from JJ Hospital, who moved to a private hospital for treatment.

Nurses from the hospital also alleged that they were not given adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and there was no dedicated area to put on and remove the PPE, which may have led to the chain of infection among the staff.

JJ Hospital’s dean, Dr. Ranjit Mankeshwar, said 10 staff nurses have tested positive till date. “Some were admitted to GT Hospital depending on the availability of beds. We have now formed a special committee that approves PPE to ensure that the staff gets good quality gear. Last week, we also created a separate donning and doffing area for PPE,” he said.

Early this month, nurses from Hinduja Hospital had raised similar issues after they were isolated in a civic facility. Jibin TC, president, United Nurses Association (Maharashtra), said the hospital managements’ step-motherly treatment to nurses will demotivate them from getting back to work.

“Many nurses have stopped reporting to work and others are going back to their hometowns,” he said, adding that some nurses have abruptly left a hospital in Bandra (East), while at least 14 have resigned from a hospital in Thane.