Hyderabad: Healthcare workers in Hyderabad have alleged that lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) or poor quality PPEs given to doctors are the primary reasons for the spread of the coronavirus in government facilities.
Lack of PPEs and N-95 masks
The recommended thickness for Hazmat suits is between 60 and 80 gsm and the minimum standard of PPEs for hospital staff should be of 60 gsm quality. However, the junior doctors manning emergency OPs at the hospitals have PPEs that are only 40-50 gsm. Sometimes they have to work with just N-95 masks.
Health workers feel that PPE kits are not sufficient to protect them hence they should be provided original kits and infrared thermometers at all government hospitals.
Grade 2 quality
According to sources, the doctors on regular outpatient duties, are often given normal surgical masks instead of N-95 masks. Times of India quoted a doctor of Osmania Hospital as saying, “Sometimes we are given N-95 masks and PPEs while at other times we work with just N-95 masks. When we ask for the protective gear from our superiors, they say that it has not been supplied by the government and we will be given as and when it is supplied. It has been more of a formality than a measure to ensure protection. The PPEs supplied are of grade 2 quality.”
“While some doctors performing surgeries or procedures too are given PPEs, not all of them have protective gear,” rued another senior resident at the NIMS. He alleged that only doctors screening patients at OPD are being provided with PPEs.
However, the superintendent of a hospital maintained that doctors were being provided quality PPEs as per protocol. While admitting that some PPE kits might have some issues, he claimed that the rest are of good quality. “If there is any problem with PPEs, doctors can report it and we will replace them,” the official said.