SC notice to Centre on plea seeking protective kits for healthcare workers combating COVID-19
Jun 17, 2020
New Delhi [India], June 17 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Central government on a plea filed by the United Nurses Association (UNA) that submitted the healthcare workers are exposed to the risk of contracting COVID-19 and sought directions to provide protective kits to the healthcare workers.
A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan sought the response from the Central government and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.
The UNA, through its Delhi State General Secretary Joldin Francis, filed an intervention application in the suo motu case taken up by the apex court relating to the proper treatment of COVID-19 patients and dignified handling of bodies in the hospitals.
The association, a Kerala-based 3.8 lakh strong nurses group, has claimed that in Delhi more than 1,000 workers have already tested positive with the virus that has led to the death of five workers. It sought directions for providing protective kits to healthcare workers and also making them available in COVID-19 hospitals.
It further sought proper accommodation for healthcare workers near the hospitals, prompt transportation to the healthcare staff, along with provisions of nutritious food, proper screening of suspected persons before admission and to ensure speedy testing.
The application also said that there should be full and timely payment of salaries of healthcare staff working even in private hospitals.
It sought to expand the scope of personal accident cover provided under the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana' to healthcare workers fighting COVID-19 and also include all healthcare workers across sectors, including those recruited on ad-hoc basis under the scheme.
Free testing and treatment should be extended to those workers who get infected by COVID-19 while performing their duty, the application said, adding that families of workers need to be looked after while they undergo treatment and remain in quarantine.
"The health and safety (physical/mental) of healthcare workers are of utmost importance because a further shortage of health care workers would result in thousands of unattended COVID-19 patients, which will have serious repercussions including escalation of the present situation and result in an impact on the economy, medical facilities, potential deaths and loss of human resource," the plea said.
