At a time when the entire health apparatus of West Bengal is trying to contain COVID-19, hospitals in Kolkata and adjoining suburbs are facing a fresh challenge with the mass resignation of about 300 nurses. The nurses have reportedly given up their jobs to return to their homes, particularly in the Northeastern States.
A few days ago, the Association of Hospitals of Eastern India, an association of 17 private hospitals in the city wrote to State Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, saying that the flight of nurses will not severely disrupt our services but “could lead to collapse of the private healthcare delivery machinery in Kolkata”. The letter dated May 16 states that on May 14, 2020, around 185 nurses from different private hospitals left Kolkata and 169 more nurses were planning to leave the city.
“Although the exact reason behind this is not known, we have gathered from other nurses still on duty that the State government of Manipur is offering them lucrative stipend to return home. We have also come to know that more nurses from States like Tripura, Odisha and Kerala are also planning to go back home,” the letter said.
On Monday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raised the issue and said that she had directed the Chief Secretary to look into the matter. Ms. Banerjee said the State government is open to the private hospital appointing staff with a short training who can do basic duties. “The private hospitals are helping us in this time. We are taking over a number of them and providing them money for their services,” she said.
Meanwhile, the State recorded six COVID-19 deaths and 148 new cases in the past 24 hours.
Five deaths were recorded in Kolkata and one in South 24 Parganas district. The total number of deaths increased to 250, of which 72 are due to comorbidities. The total number of cases increased to 2,825 and active infections stood at 1,575. The discharge rate of the State stood at 35.61% and the samples tested in the past 24 hours was 7,614.
