Nurses body in SC to address risk faced by health workers in COVID-19 fight

The 'United Nurses Association' has approached the Supreme Court for a direction to the Centre to formulate a 'National COVID-19 Management Protocol' to address the serious concern relating to imminent and extreme risks faced by healthcare workers in the country.

In a PIL, the Kerala-based body sought an order to expand the scope of personal accident cover provided under the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Health Workers Fighting COVID-19' to include all healthcare workers across sectors, including those recruited on ad-hoc basis.

"So far, seven doctors working in different hospitals and clinics in the National capital have tested positive for COVID-19. A large number of healthcare workers including nurses, doctors, and other staffers are infected in various states like Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi etc. At least 50 nurses are under quarantine or isolation throughout the country and many of them have tested positive for COVID-19," it contended.

Maintaining that protecting healthcare workers should be of paramount importance, the petitioner said it is the duty of the governments to give them every possible help and assistance.

Among others, the petitioner also sought a direction to the Centre to ensure that COVID-19 protection kits were made available to every single healthcare professional working in the corona isolation wards, or in close proximity of patients suspected to be infected with the virus.