Sr nursing officers deputed at pvt hosps for Covid duty

New Delhi: Even as the number of Covid patients in hospital remained above 2,700 as of Tuesday night, the Delhi government has now decided to deploy Senior Nursing Officers as Nodal Officers across private hospitals to oversee the management of Covid-19 patients and the vaccination process, according to an order issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department.

"These Senior Nursing Officers hereby stand released from their hospitals with immediate effect, with the direction to report to their place of posting in private hospitals without waiting for any formal relieving orders from their hospitals," the order stated.

"Further, if any nursing personal has retired or transferred, suitable replacement may be provided by concerned hospitals/institutions," the order added.

A senior official from the health department told Millennium Post that booster shots have already been started for people in the above 60 age group and healthcare workers.

"The health care workers are already registered and links have been sent on their registered numbers. They can also check online and they will be eligible to get the booster shot at any health facility. Several healthcare workers have in fact already started taking the shot," the official added.

However, they added that these nursing officers will also look into making sure all health workers in their places of posting are turning up for the booster doses.

This comes in light of the fact that fewer healthcare workers are seen turning up for their third dose of the vaccine amid a large number of them getting infected in this wave and having to isolate. Even on Tuesday, healthcare workers comprised the smallest group to have showed up for this "precautionary" dose.

But with the order having been issued, not many nursing officers are aware of their exact roles yet.

"I will go to the hospital tomorrow morning and find out my role as of now we have been told that we will oversee the vaccination process and monitor the management of the Covid patients. We will be given detailed instructions soon," Senior nursing officer Rohit Godra said.