SC issues notice to Centre over plea seeking adequate PPE kits for healthcare workers

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Centre on a plea filed by the United Nurses Association (UNA) that demanded personal protective gear for the healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients. The UNA, a Kerala-based nurse group with approximately 3.8 lakh nurses, in their plea, stressed on the need to make protective kits available to healthcare workers across COVID-19 hospitals revealing that in the absence of adequate PPE kits many healthcare workers and staff were contracting the virus and succumbing to the infection. 

"The health and safety (physical/mental) of healthcare workers are of utmost importance because a further shortage of health care workers would result in thousands of unattended COVID-19 patients, which will have serious repercussions including escalation of the present situation and result in an impact on the economy, medical facilities, potential deaths and loss of human resource," the plea said. 

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The plea also sought proper accommodation for healthcare workers near the hospitals as well as prompt transportation for the staff to the hospital with "provisions of nutritious food, proper screening of suspected persons before admission and speedy testing."

It also raised the issue of full and timely payment of salaries to the healthcare staff adding that any scope of personal accident cover should be provided under the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana'.

"Free testing and treatment should be extended to those workers who get infected by COVID-19 while performing their duty," the application said, adding that families of workers need to be looked after while they undergo treatment and remain in quarantine. 

The apex court bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan has sought the response from the Central government over the nurses' demands and has slated the matter for hearing after four weeks.

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(With ANI Inputs)