HYDERABAD: Contract sanitation workers and nurses in the Coronavirus wards form two of the most important Covid-19 warrior teams, but they are seldom recognised as they continue to work in deplorable conditions, even at the cost of their health. Social stigma of working in Covid-19 wards, discrimination, and meagre salaries are testing their patience.
Kistamma, a sanitation worker at Gandhi Hospital’s Covid-ward, said: “We work close to eight hours a day, with just one hour of break in between. The hospital has been forthcoming in terms of providing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). They also provide us with breakfast and lunch.” “However, about eight to 10 workers are forced to live inside the hospital, in a shelter near the Gandhi Medical College, as the stigma and discrimination makes it difficult for them to go back home,” she added.
The numbers keep increasing as more and more sanitation workers and nurses are being asked to stay away from their residential areas as they are treating patients affected by the disease. The nurses are in a similar plight. A nurse from Osmania Hospital said: “The work hours are always long due to shortage of staff. It has got longer now. Many of us have to stay in the hospital’s hostel, because either it gets too late to go back home or some of us aren’t allowed to enter our residential areas due to the fear of us spreading the disease.”
Medicos rue lack of job security
Another staff nurse at Gandhi Hospital, on the condition of anonymity, said: “Once we wear the PPE we cannot take breaks, or go to washrooms. We are practically saving lives of patients while putting our own at risk. But for what, a meagre `15,000. Is that all our lives and services are worth? We aren’t even permanent employees with job security. I have been working in the hospital for 13 years now, and everyday I am scared that I might lose my job.” One would hope that the nurses and the sanitation workers will receive high incentives for their fearless service, but once sees is a gloomy picture.
“As per the CM’s announcement to provide 10 per cent incentive to health workers, these sanitation and security workers will get a meagre rise of Rs 900. Whereas, the GHMC workers and outsourced staff will get close to Rs 7,500. We request the government to take note of this and increase our salaries,” said M Narsimha, AITCU president. Last month, the nurses and sanitation workers staged a protest, demanding an increase in their salaries. But being duty-bound, they went back to work once they realised how short-staffed the Gandhi Hospital actually is.
Unkind neighbours
More and more sanitation workers and nurses are being asked to stay away from their residential areas as they treat the patients affected by the disease