Will set up Helpline to redress grievances of healthcare workers: Centre to SC

The Centre told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that healthcare workers are warriors and it will provide a specific helpline number for redressing their grievances.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday disposed of the PIL which sought directions to the government to provide PPEs(Personal protective equipment) to the healthcare workers after the centre, represented by SG Tushar Mehta, ensured the court that one helpline number will be set up to help redress the grievances of the 'Corona warriors'.

The helpline number will register the grievances of healthcare staff. The help desk will take calls regarding non-availability of PPEs, salary cut, eviction by house owners etc. Any grievances will be taken care of within two hours of the call, said SG.

Earlier, the United Nurses Association, the petitioner, had moved to the Supreme court seeking directions to the government to meet their various demands while treating COVID-19 patients. They had asked for directions to formulate a National COVID-19 Management Protocol to address the concerns relating to risks posed to the health of Corona warriors.

Enlisting the hardships faced by them, the petitioner had pointed out the following grievances to the apex court:

• Non-availability of sufficient personal protective equipment.
• Lack of COVID-19 testing kits.
• Sub-standard personal protection equipment.
• Lack of training infection prevention and control.
• Lack of basic facilities in isolation wards, hourly disinfection not being done.
• Mental harassment by forcing for overtime.
• Pregnant or lactating women forced to work.
• Lack of food, accommodation and medical support.
• Continuous transgression of government guidelines by private hospitals.

The organisation had asked to ensure that protection kits are made available to each health worker in isolation wards or at the high-risk zone, workers get trained on infection prevention and control, ensure adequate standard nutritious meals, provision of accommodation close to their hospitals/centres, transport, expansion of infrastructure temporarily, expand the scope of 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package for Corona warriors.

It also said to ensure that no health workers face eviction from the landlords and also directed to provide the free testing facilities to health workers.