MillenniumPost
Bengal

Healthcare workers at NBMCH to get PPEs soon, assures Goutam Deb

Darjeeling: Tourism Minister Gautam Deb held an emergent meeting at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) on Tuesday, a day after widespread protests broke out with complaints of lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Junior doctors, nurses and health workers had launched a protest in front of the Super's office in NBMCH on Monday. "We have no PPE. We have been given raincoats. We have no gloves, masks or shoe covers. We are frontline workers. We too have families. How can we work if such things are not provided?" questioned a junior doctor.

On Monday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a video conference meeting with the districts said: "The lack of PPEs has been brought to my notice. We have already ordered for the necessary protective clothing made of microfibre. As soon as we receive the PPEs we will send them."

Tuesday's meeting included doctors, nursing staff, security personnel and sanitary staff. Taking to media persons after the meeting, Deb said: "We have resolved 90% of the problem." Sources stated that 500 sets of PPE were received by the NBMCH on Tuesday.

Incidentally, the security staff outsourced by NBMCH have stopped turning up for work. They have demanded that they will not attend duty unless provided with PPE. "I request the security staff to attend. They will be provided with PPE," the minister assured.

Meanwhile, increasing the number of beds for Isolation is on the anvil at the hospital. At present there is a 15-bed isolation ward at NBMCH. "The unused trauma centre, leprosy ward and COVID-19 screening ward will all be converted into isolation wards. 30 to 35 ventilators will be made available for these wards. Adequate steps are being taken in the rural areas as well," Deb said. A quarantine centre will also be opened up at the ITI College in Phansidewa. Authorities from the district administration have already visited the college.

Meanwhile, family members of the COVID-19 victim of Kalimpong who were in quarantine at Jalpaiguri Superspecialty Hospital, were shifted to NBMCH on Tuesday.

Next Story
Share it