WARANGAL: At a time when the entire State, like the rest of the country, is battling to contain the deadly Coronavirus, the MGM Hospital in Warangal is facing a shortage of protective gear like masks, gloves, sanitisers and personnel protection kits, putting the lives of medical professionals and sanitation staff at peril.
About 500 medical workers, including doctors, nurses and labs technicians, as well as around 300 sanitation staff are currently working at the MGM hospital. The hospital staff claim that though they had informed officials about the shortage and requested to get more supplies, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
Two days ago, the sanitation workers staged a protest to highlight the issue, following which the hospital authorities assured them that all the necessary items will be procured at the earliest. To meet any emergency arising out of the Coronavirus spread, a 25-bedded Intensive Care Unit and a 200-bedded isolation ward were set up at this hospital, which usually sees patients from north Telangana districts.
Most suspected coronavirus patients from erstwhile Warangal district are being shifting to the isolation ward in the MGM Hospital and their samples are being sent to Gandhi Hospital. Speaking to Express, a sanitation worker, who did not want to be named, said that the hospital authorities and contractors are ignoring the issue and failing to provide the much-needed masks, gloves, and sanitisers for workers.
While stating that there are enough masks, gloves and sanitisers, the hospital authorities informed that these items are being provided to those who are working on rotational basis. They also accused the outsourcing workers of making baseless allegations. However, they assured that the issues will be resolved soon.