KARACHI: Nurses from different public sector hospitals of the province, responding to a call given to them by the Sindh Young Nurses Association here on Tuesday staged a sit-in to draw public attention towards their vulnerability against the novel coronavirus disease as well as other health hazards in line of their professional obligations.
On the occasion of International Nurses Day, a sizable number of nurses were witnessed gathered in front of the Karachi Press Club, holding placards inscribed with demands for mandatory provision for personal protection equipment (PPEs), the immediate release of health risk allowance, and health professional allowance etc.
The nurses duly maintaining the basic principle of physical distancing at the site of the sit-in, told APP that their protest would continue, not only in Karachi but also in other parts of the province, till their demands are met.
They also advocated for a fresh service structure in accordance with the fourth tier agreed upon by the provincial government.
It was alleged that authorities resorted to forced transfers and other stern but unauthorised measures to pressurise office bearers of the association as well as workers raising their voice against rampant discrepancies in the particular context of their right to safety while attending to COVID-19 as well and other patients suffering from contagious diseases.
The provincial government, they complained, has not been able to adequately comply with safe and adequate standards required for disposal of varied categories of waste generated at its health centres, nor are steps are being taken to ensure proper segregation of used material that is a major source of infection.
Acknowledging that they as nurses, paramedics, technicians also have their role in abiding by the basic principles of safe handling of medical tools and their dispensation, nurse Amina Fatema from Government Sindh Hospital that said strong political will on part of authorities to get the law implemented is critically needed.
