Nurses, family allege lapses by govt. hospital after COVID-19 death

Following the demise of a 40-year-old lady with kidney issues, after which she was examined optimistic for COVID-19 in Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, docs and nurses of the hospital claimed there was greater than a day’s delay to quarantine the workers.

A physician and a nurse additionally alleged a number of lapses on the hospital’s half together with not offering correct isolation for the girl, as soon as she was suspected of getting the virus, which might have contaminated different sufferers and workers too.

In the meantime, the girl’s husband, who’s in another way abled, advised The Hindu that the Delhi government-run hospital didn’t do dialysis and didn’t instantly inform them that she had examined optimistic. The physique continues to be with the hospital, he added.

The lady died on Saturday and was examined optimistic for COVID-19 on Monday. It was solely on Wednesday, the hospital ordered 57 docs, nurses, and technicians, to be quarantined and samples have been being taken, based on a hospital order.

“Each her kidneys weren’t functioning. As soon as she was suspected of corona, they didn’t do dialysis,” the girl’s husband mentioned. “Jab se uska take a look at hua, physician aur guard log use aise dekh rahe the, jaise koi bhoot aagaya ho emergency [ward] me,” he mentioned.

“The hospital authorities [on Tuesday] requested me and our two kids to get examined. However we have been turned away from one other hospital,” the husband, who’s a avenue vendor in Jahangirpuri mentioned.

‘Lapses’ by hospital

Although the hospital mentioned within the order that the affected person was admitted in an “isolation cubicle” within the emergency ward, a physician and a nurse mentioned that there was no “correct” isolation. “The cubicle is a part of a 35-odd-bed emergency ward. The cubicle has about six beds and whereas the girl was admitted, there have been at the very least three extra sufferers. Additionally, the girl’s sister stayed within the cubicle,” the physician advised The Hindu.

“Isolation ought to have been correct and the household mustn’t have been allowed to fulfill her. Additionally, the oxygen provide got here from a standard line and it might infect different sufferers,” the physician added.

The nurse mentioned that the docs weren’t utilizing full-body PPE kits whereas attending to the girl, although she was suspected of COVID-19.

Medical Director of the hospital, M.M. Kohli, and Secretary of Well being and Household Welfare Division, Padmini Singla, didn’t reply to cellphone calls and messages. Although a nurses’ affiliation had emailed Ms. Singla and hospital authorities on Tuesday, the order to quarantine the workers was issued on Wednesday afternoon.

“On Tuesday, we had despatched emails to the Hospital Director, Well being Secretary and Chief Minister’s workplace. However they quarantined the workers solely on Wednesday. That is blatant negligence on the a part of the authorities,” mentioned Jagdish Kulhari, President of Federation of Delhi Govt. Nurses.

“I acquired to know by at present [Wednesday] afternoon that my title was within the record of individuals to be quarantined. Medical doctors had met the HoD on Tuesday and mentioned that the workers has to quarantined, however they mentioned everybody can’t be quarantined all of a sudden,” one other nurse advised The Hindu.

A nurse mentioned he determined to quarantine himself at his residence, because the hospital had not supplied any quarantine facility.