Sion hospital nursing students ‘forced’ to work without PPE, social distancing

Nursing students at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, commonly known as Sion hospital, have expressed concerns for their safety after 17 students contracted

Nursing students at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, commonly known as Sion hospital, have expressed concerns for their safety after 17 students contracted Covid-19 through cross-transmission. They claim that despite the risk, the administration is forcing them to attend to patients.

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Medical colleges under BYL Nair and King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospitals have already reported cases of infection among resident doctors, nurses, and staffers. But Sion hospital is the only civic-run medical facility where the number of infections has gone up to 17, with 19 others being quarantined.

Though infected students have been kept in isolation wards, the nursing students claimed that the hospital is risking their lives by violating safety rules.

“In the initial days, we were given duty in the non-Covid ward, without protective gear like N95 masks or other personal protective equipment (PPE). Soon, the infection started spreading from asymptomatic patients and now, the cases have gone up to 17,” said a second-year student from the general nursing and midwifery (GNM) course.

Being the nearest civic-run hospital to the Dharavi, Sion hospital has received the highest number of Covid-19 cases from the slum, which has already reported 214 infected people.

Students have alleged that due to the shortage of staff, quarantined students are being forced to take care of patients.

“High-risk contact students were tested on the ninth day of quarantine. But as their reports came back negative, they are being forced to work. They were not allowed to complete the 14-day quarantine period. Now, two of them have started showing symptoms,” said an 18-year-old first-year student.

The students said that social distancing is not feasible in their hostel with 275 women sharing rooms and bathrooms with quarantined students.

“If my roommate gets infected, I will certainly contract the virus due to the congestion to students showing symptoms,” the student said, adding that the hostel has not been fumigated yet.

“We are mere students with no health insurance. We don’t mind the work but we should be provided with safety kits,” said another student.

Dr Ramesh Bharmal, director of major hospitals, said, “Due to staff crunch, the students have been pulled in but they have been given duty in non-Covid wards.”

An official from the United Nurses Association, said, “Nurses play an important role in taking care of Covid-19 patients. If the authority can’t provide safety to the frontliners then they shouldn’t admit patients. A medical system can’t function without nurses.”