Delhi: Lok Nayak hospital ends services of 95 Covid nurses – ET HealthWorld

“On May 14, 2021, a Covid facility was started at Ramlila Maidan. All the staff posted worked hand in hand to run this facility smoothly. Now as Covid has come to an end and this facility is being shut down, it’s time to say goodbye. All the nurses posted at the Ramlila ground or in vaccination (section) or in Lok Nayak Hospital… are directed not to continue with their duties,” read the message.

Vineet Chaudhary, one of the staff whose service was ended earlier this month, said they were not informed through any notice, but through a WhatsApp message. During the second wave last year, 300 nurses were recruited for serving the Covid wards, and some were deputed in the main hospital, a few for vaccination and 95 at the Ramlila Maidan Covid centre, Chaudhary said.

“On March 3, we were sent a WhatsApp message. There was no other official communication. When we spoke to the authorities, we were told that if there is a requirement, we will be called back. But there’s no guarantee. We worked for long hours risking lives during the Delta wave, we didn’t expect this kind of treatment,” he added.

An official of Lok Nayak Hospital said, “The nurses were hired for 45 days last year for Covid management. Once cases came down, their services were extended by three-four months. Many have been absorbed as well. Only those whose performance was not up to the mark have been asked not to continue.”

Nurses from Lady Hardinge Medical College are also protesting over termination of services on March 22. “We were hired on a contractual basis for three months when the second wave began last year. But they continued with our service and deployed us in different departments for non-Covid work as well. Now the administration says they don’t have funds. We have no other choice but to protest,” said Jatin Kumar, a nurse whose service has been terminated. The hospital authority didn’t respond to queries.