As 50 at AIIMS test positive for COVID-19 in 48 hours, doctors complain about poor quality of 'N95 masks, PPEs'

As many as 195 healthcare workers have tested positive for coronavirus infection at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here till date. Over 50 healthcare personnel, including one MBBS student, three resident doctors, eight nurses and five mess workers, have tested positive for COVID-19 over the last two days. Others include laboratory staff, technicians, sanitation staff and security guards. Contact tracing has been initiated.

According to a report by The New Indian Express, Dr Srinivas Rajkumar T, General Secretary, RDA, AIIMS-New Delhi, said, “It’s not the virus that we are worried about. It’s the apathy of the government and the AIIMS administration that worries us. If this continues, we will be short of HCWs to treat patients. Since March we have been writing and fighting for the safety of hostel premises, poor sanitation, lack of proper quarantine protocol and need for adequate testing.”

“The N95 masks do not meet even MOHFW safety standards forget international standards. Our relentless pursuit of resident welfare has been met with threats of FIR from administration and attempts to jeopardise the career of RDA executives by the administration,” he added.

One of the AIIMS' sanitation supervisors, who had tested positive for COVID-19, died on Sunday, while a mess worker at the AIIMS had succumbed to the disease last week.

The deceased, Hiralal was working as senior sanitation supervisor and was posted at Rajkumari Amrit Kaur OPD in the AIIMS.

A source from the hospital told IANS that he was very alert while discharging his duty in the hospital. "He used to follow all norms of hygiene but despite that, the deadly virus entered his body and he lost the battle of life. He did not care about his life while serving people in the hospital. He was loved equally by all including nursing staff and doctors."

The source also said: "Hiralal was very active in participating in social causes. He played a key role in establishing SC/ST Employees Welfare Association at the AIIMS."

His body has been kept in the AIIMS Trauma centre mortuary and will be handed over to his family after due procedure.

On May 22, a mess worker had also died from Covid-19 leading the Resident Doctors Association of the hospital charging the AIIMS administration of not following safety norms and demanding testing of all mess workers and residents after diligent contact tracing and compensation for the family of the deceased worker.

A source had then said that AIIMS is allegedly "not taking proper precautions for its residents and staff".

"Two months ago, we had demanded regular screening and other safety measures like thermal scanners, sanitisers, masks etc. to ensure mess workers are able to work safely without endangering themselves as well as the staff members. But the administration didn't pay heed to our demands," the source said.