A nurse, who contracted COVID-19 while on duty, has moved the Delhi High Court challenging the termination of service of 84 nurses, including her, at HAH Centenary Hospital. She claimed it was a “retaliatory” move for having raised concerns over improper working conditions at the hospital during COVID-19 duty.
Gufrana Khatoon, in her petition, claimed that the staff nurses who were sacked had demanded access to basic facilities like N95 masks, sufficient number of personal protective equipment, better working hours, drinking water, free COVID-19 tests and adequate quarantine healthcare facilities for them.
In the termination order, dated July 11, the HAH Centenary Hospital of Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, a designated COVID-19 facility, stated that the nurses were being relieved because of “absence from office without sanctioned leave” and “absence without intimation”.
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“However, several of them were on duty till July 11 and the others were in quarantine,” her petition said.
According to the plea, Ms. Khatoon tested positive for the virus on July 3 while performing duty in the COVID-19 ward. She said she was not even provided free testing by the hospital.
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The petition, filed through advocate Subhash Chandran K.R., said that the decision taken by the hospital management to dismiss the nurses was “arbitrary and clearly in violation of the government directive”.
Ms. Khatoon and the other sacked nurses, represented by United Nurses Association, made a representation to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi’s Labour Minister requesting their immediate intervention in the matter. “Unfortunately, no action has been taken yet,” the plea said, seeking appropriate action against HAH Centenary Hospital.
The petition also asked for formulating a COVID-19 management protocol to address the concerns relating to risks posed to the heathcare workers in Delhi.