PUDUCHERRY: The Health Department has issued a memorandum to three nursing officers of Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute (IGGGH&PGI) who complained about the quality of PPE kits provided to them to the media.
The three nursing officers K. Anuradha, S Santhi and T. Bakiyavathy had made a press release without consulting their higher officials that the PPE kits issued by the hospital are of substandard quality.
As per the instructions of the Secretary (Health), the Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr. Vasudevan has issued the memorandum to the three nursing officers asking them to give an explanation with proof within 48 hours that on what basis such a press release was issued.
The Medical Superintendent said that this will help in raising the issue to the higher level of the Government of India as to how to improve the quality of PPE kits if found faulty.
The three nurses had alleged that the PPE provided to them could not be donned for six to eight hours of duty. It is highly suffocating and nurses are having to remove them. Through sponsors they had managed to arrange some better quality PPE kits for them as well as for nurses working in Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI), they asked how long they could continue doing so.
They said that they had represented the matter to the government authorities, but nothing has changed on the ground.
However, Lt Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soudararajan denied the lack of quality in the PPE kits. Medical Superintendent cited that the PPE suits were provided by the government of India and were being used by health workers in all government hospitals. Besides the same PPE suits were worn by Lt Governor and Health Secretary during their visits to Covid wards in IGMCRI.
On the contrary, sources have said that the PPE suits could be worn for an hour, but not beyond that. These PPE kits are suitable for working in an air-conditioned environment.
In hot and humid climates PPE kits of at least 90 GSM specifications are needed, but the ones provided are not 90 GSM or higher. The nurses need to feel comfortable to work, to care for sick patients, he said