Delhi's LNJP Hospital issues notice to quarantined staff for vacating hotel, dharamshala rooms

Delhi's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) Hospital has issued a notice to all its quarantined staff to vacate the hotel or dharamshala rooms arranged by the hospital authorities by 12 pm on Thursday.

The order cites the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The order issued by LNJP's medical director Suresh Kumar states that the hospital will not spend money after May 21 and the guest will have to bear the expenses himself or herself.

The Delhi government had earlier decided that the doctor, nurses or paramedical staff engaged in the treatment of coronavirus patients will work continuously for 14 days, after which they will get 14 days rest.

A 14-day rest meant that they should be quarantined so that even if there is any kind of infection, their family will not be harmed. It was also decided that the LNJP Hospital would make arrangements for all such people to stay in the hotels or dharamshala or any other place. The hospital was to bear all the expenses.

But now, citing the guidelines of the Union Health Ministry, the hospital order stated that the medical staff should vacate the hotel or dharamshala rooms.

However opposing this move, the Resident Doctors Association has written a letter to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan stating, "The coronavirus can show its effect by two to 14 days. Non-symptomatic healthcare workers have been found to be coronavirus positive in many cases even after wearing PPE kits."

"After duty, the staff should be quarantined and they should be tested for COVID-19 even if they do not show any symptom or wear PPE kits... It is important. Removing this system will increase the risk of the virus spreading to doctors, their families, patients and the community. Therefore, amend the recently released guidelines and give relief to the corona warriors of the country," the letter further read.

According to the Centre's new guidelines for the healthcare workers issued on May 15, "only healthcare workers with high-risk contacts will be in quarantine who have handled coronavirus patients without proper PPE or who have symptoms".

Based on the guidelines of the central government, Delhi Health Secretary Padmini Singla also issued orders. After the order of Health Secretary, the Medical Director of LNJP Hospital has also issued orders in this regard. 

-ANI

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