UP: Doctors on COVID-19 duty find worms in food
What's the story
While the government has been advocating respect for the doctors leading the coronavirus fight from the front, a story from Uttar Pradesh has shown that is not the case. Doctors deployed at King George's Medical University on coronavirus duty complained about receiving worms in their food. They have flagged the issue several times but to no avail. Read on for more on this.
Issues
Doctors are given poor lodging arrangements, inedible food
According to a HT report, doctors have often complained of worms in food packets and poor facilities at Rain Basera quarantine center. Shedding light on the poor state of affairs, Dr. Neeraj Mishra, President of the Uttar Pradesh chapter of the Resident Doctors' Welfare Association (RDWA), said, sometimes fans in the facility, meant for overworked doctors to rest, don't work either.
Concern
Insects in food items show authority's apathy: Nurses
Recently, one cleaning staff who stayed at the center found an insect in his food packet. Subsequently, a letter was shot off to the in-charge but in vain. The nurses also had similar complaints. Yadunandini Singh, the president of nurses' union at the state-run facility, said these incidents show the carelessness of the authorities. She said the association would soon meet higher-ups.
Quote
Soon, nurses will "demand" good food
"Insects in food packets show carelessness and also pose a threat to the health of staff who after eating it may suffer illness. Our association will meet the vice-chancellor and demand good food as they are not going home while on COVID-19 duty," Singh said.
Looking back
Similarly, doctors complained of poor facilities in April
Shockingly, it's been more than four months into this pandemic but doctors are still fighting for basic necessities. In April, doctors and paramedical staff of Raebareli put out videos to bring to attention the wretched condition in which they were forced to live while treating patients infected by coronavirus. They were served food in plastic bags and weren't even given safe drinking water.
Details
Like doctors, some patients are also suffering in UP
Evidently, patients are also dealing with frightening living conditions. Recently, a 52-year-old, shot a video from Jhansi Medical College and Hospital alleging negligence on doctors' part. He said the facility lacks proper arrangements and pleaded to be taken to another place. The patient died and his video caught attention after the awful incident. The government, meanwhile, has maintained patients are being taken care of.