The situation in India seems to be getting worse after 36 healthcare frontliners working in the Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai tested positive for the coronavirus. While 36 may not seem like a lot, this brings the total number of healthcare workers who have tested positive in the Indian financial hub to more than 200.
Mumbai, which is a city of 18 million has come under intense scrutiny for a seeming lack of personal protective equipment to deal with infected patients.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Swati Rane, who is the vice president of the Clinical Nursing Research Society, said “The main source of infection today is not the COVID-19 ward but non-COVID-19 wards, operation theatres and emergency departments at the hospitals.”
“The staff working there does not have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), as opposed to those working at COVID-19 wards. They are at risk as they do not even wear N-95 masks, which are important. If complete PPE is not possible, at least give them masks, gloves and gowns,” she added.
Rane also emphasized that asymptomatic patients visiting non COVID-19 wards pose another risk. Given the close nature of the facilities in the hospital that is shared by the staff and nurses, just one person being infected puts everyone at risk.
Another doctor who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that there is indeed a shortage of PPE and that “It needs to be addressed immediately.” With over 2000 cases and more than 100 deaths, Mumbai is a hotbed for the coronavirus outbreak and healthcare professionals are starting to get worried.
Just two weeks ago, five organizations that represent healthcare workers wrote in to the Mumbai Municipal commissioner expressing their concern over the infection rate among medical frontliners. One of their concerns was the fact that nurses who test negative are being asked to rejoin the front line without even finishing the 14-day quarantine protocol.
While the corporation has taken some steps to address issues raised in their letter, it’s evidently not been enough given the continued rise in infections. Municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi has come out and said that the initial shortage of PPE has already been addressed.
He basically echoed the sentiments raised by Rane before saying that “This is something which is quite difficult to handle.” He then went on to compare Mumbai to the rest of the world, saying “I would like to know the percentage of health workers in Dubai or Italy or UK that have been tested positive. I am sure it is significantly higher than Mumbai.”
