Madras HC seeks information of protective gear bought – Times of India

Chennai News

CHENNAI: Expressing concern about the safety of doctors, nurses, sanitary workers, other healthcare workers and police personnel as they are at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19, the Madras high court has directed the state government to file a comprehensive report on PPEs, masks, respirators, medical equipment, hand rubs, etc., purchased by it.
A division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice M Nirmal Kumar passed the order on the plea moved by advocate S Jimraj Milton, seeking direction to the state government to provide and ensure medical assistance for all Covid-19-affected patients free of cost. The petitioner further alleged that the government has not made available sufficient number of masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) to doctors and healthcare workers.
When the plea came up for hearing on Tuesday, the petitioner, relying upon the guidelines for Covid-19, submitted that apart from speaking about the need for setting up isolation wards to treat such patients, the guidelines also says doctors handling such patients must wear PPEs.
The protective gear includes eye protection (visor or goggles), face shield, reusable vinyl or rubber gloves for environmental cleaning and latex single-use gloves for clinical care, hair covers, particulate respirators (N95, FFP2, or equivalent), medical (surgical or procedure) masks gowns and aprons single-use long-sleeved fluid-resistant or reusable non-fluid-resistant gowns, the petitioner said.
Further relying on a news report dated April 27 published in an English daily, the petitioner alleged the news report said several doctors in Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai, had said the authorities had failed to provide them proper protective gears, which is the primary reason for the spread of Covid-19 among healthcare workers.
Responding to the plea, additional advocate-general P H Arvind Pandian sought time to file a comprehensive status report with supporting documents, especially with regard to the provision of PPEs. The bench then adjourned the case to May 13 for further hearing.

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Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/hc-seeks-info-of-protective-gear-bought/articleshow/75459342.cms