TIRUCHY: Thirty-three-year-old Rahul (name changed), who works as an emergency medical technician (EMT) with the 108 ambulance service, travels 15 km to work daily in his own vehicle. He and his colleagues travel with corona-positive and suspected patients to the hospital daily.
Working more than 12-hour shifts, these healthcare workers say that they are not provided sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
While doctors and nurses who work in isolation wards are given one-week quarantine after working for two weeks and tested for COVID-19 periodically, these ambulance workers neither get offs, nor are they tested.
Out of 30 ambulances in Tiruchy district, five have been assigned as dedicated ambulances for COVID-19 duty. Of these, two are in Tiruchy city. While these ambulances have PPE kits, the other 25 do not even have masks, said ambulance workers.
"Sufficient numbers of PPEs have not been given, even for those working in the dedicated ambulances. Even the masks that we are given are single-layer when we should be given triple-layer masks. We take huge risks while ferrying the patients, yet there is no value for our lives,"
They said they are also entitled to government benefits. Government healthcare workers have been given one month's salary and insurance in case they die on duty.
"We are ready to save people's lives, risking our own. We just want some respect and for our families to be insured if we get COVID-19 and die due to it," said a worker.
They also said those who travel longer distances pull longer shifts. They alleged they are not given travel passes, food or even a cup of tea while on duty.
"We pull 14 to 15-hour shifts now. Due to the lockdown, there is no food or tea available. We have to depend on volunteers who distribute food. We are not given anything by the government. We are facing massive financial problems," said an EMT. Their main demands include proper PPEs, triple-layer masks and insurance cover.