Non-Gazetted employees say their families at risk amid COVID-19
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, July 22: Amid a surge in the number of COVID-19 positive cases and the load on the system, the doctors at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, have suggested recruiting more Senior Residents (SRs) and Junior Residents and nursing staff to deal with the increased workload.
In a letter in which more than a dozen suggestions have been put forth, the Resident Doctors Association (RDA), SKIMS has asked the Director SKIMS to consider the suggestion in order to make sure that the system runs smoothly. Click here to watch video
It has also said that the outside the hospital posting of the PGs and the SRs should be cancelled with immediate effect in order to reinforce the workforce at SKIMS, Soura.
“Recruitment of new SRs, JRs and Nursing staff should be expedited,” the letter said adding, “nursing staff must be augmented, in this regard nursing students (BSC/MSC) be put in daily rosters,” the letter, a copy of which is lying with Excelsior, read.
A doctor at SKIMS told Excelsior on the condition of anonymity that there is a need for more workforce at SKIMS as day-by-day, the workload is increasing amid pandemic.
The RDA has also impressed that the adequate PPEs must be made available to the working staff at the hospital.
RDA said that the hospital policy regarding the admissions and discharge of COVID-19 +ve patients must be framed at the earliest. “In this regard, home isolation is strongly suggested and to be implemented for the asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic COVID-19 cases,” it said.
Meanwhile, the SKIMS Non-Gazetted Employees Welfare Association has also put forth its set of demands which includes a roster system of their duties along with 50 percent attendance as was at the beginning of the pandemic.
President of the Association, Shabir Hussain told Excelsior that when there was no need for rationalizing the staff, initially when the pandemic was not so bad. “At that time 50 percent employees were working at a time, but, currently, we have been told to remain present 100 percent,” he said.
He said no matter that the workload has increased, but that does not mean that they (the administration) will be exposing its employees to grave dangers of getting infected.
In the absence of roster system, the employees said that if any employee is testing positive for COVID-19, the entire block is forced to shut down, with the result, the work gets affected.
“When we remain 100 percent there, and when someone is tested positive, we are compelled to close down the entire section. And that has implications,” he said.
“Back then, when the pandemic was in its initial stage, we used to stay at the hospital for 2 days, and for 2 days we used to stay home but we are now on 100 percent duty. We have to be in the hospital and at the same time we have to go to our families,” he added.
He said that 26 employees are currently positive and there can be many that might have been infected, “but the administration is not taking care of that. We are exposing our families to the grave infection”.
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