Govt takes back order seeking explanation from infected health care staff

This was done as medical directors of non-Covid hospitals were “indiscriminately” sending doctors, nurses, paramedics and other staff members to quarantine either at hotels or their homes for 14 days, leading to a shortage of staff, according to the order.

The Delhi government on Friday suspended an order that asked medical directors of all its hospitals to seek a written explanation from health care workers who get infected or come in contact with Covid-19 positive patients, after attracting fierce criticism.

So far, at least 293 health care workers — doctors, nurses, technicians, ambulance staff, sanitation workers, and hospital security — in the city have tested positive for Covid-19. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

“All Medical Directors are directed to obtain written explanation … as how these persons got infected or become a contact in spite of wearing required protective gears, maintaining safe distance and following precautions prescribed for healthcare workers,” the order read.

This was done as medical directors of non-Covid hospitals were “indiscriminately” sending doctors, nurses, paramedics and other staff members to quarantine either at hotels or their homes for 14 days, leading to a shortage of staff, according to the order.

“It seems, it is happening because either hospitals are not following standard SOPs [standard operating procedures] or such persons are not following guidelines prescribed for healthcare workers,” according to the order.

So far, at least 293 health care workers — doctors, nurses, technicians, ambulance staff, sanitation workers, and hospital security — in the city have tested positive for Covid-19. Most of them worked either in non-Covid-19 hospitals or areas of hospitals that accept Covid-19 patients.

At Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial hospital in Jahangirpuri, at least 75 staff members have tested positive for the infection. At the nearby Baba Saheb Ambedkar hospital around 45 staff have tested positive, with the medical director also having to go into quarantine.

“Delhi government should stop issuing ill-advised circulars targeting health care workers. Stop victim-blaming when hospitals are not ensuring the availability of appropriate PPE [personal protective equipment] despite a Supreme Court order,” said Dr Srinivas Rajkumar T, general secretary of the Resident Doctors’ Association of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

“It is the hospitals not adhering to safety guidelines, not designating separate areas for Covid and non-Covid patients, and poor planning and execution that has resulted in the infection spreading to health care workers. The government should stop blaming health care workers as a cover for its deficiencies. If every hospital is asked to declare its PPE utilisation per health care worker and the status of stock, along with the quality of PPE, it will be evident who is at fault,” he said.