Kerala nurse's death raises concerns for safety measures for medicos

The death of the nurse, who was treating Nipah-infected patients in Kozhikode, has raised questions on the safety of the medical staff at hospitals. Earlier this year, a senior resident doctor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) had contracted Hepatitis-B from a needle prick. Citing his plight and similar instances in the past, doctors across the city had raised a demand for risk hazard allowance.

"There is no precautionary vaccination given to us despite the fact that we are in direct contact with these patients all the time. Half the time we do not even know what we are dealing with as the private hospitals just send infected patients to public hospitals," said a senior nurse from AIIMS.

The Federation of Residents Doctors' Association had written to the Union Health Ministry, demanding risk hazard allowance, which covers vaccination, for resident doctors. Over 200 surgeries are carried out at AIIMS everyday and a significant number of doctors are get needle pricks in the process, the doctor pointed.

"Patients posted for routine OTs here never have viral markers, though it is practiced in other places. Also, outside India, as a universal precaution, doctors and nurses are given required vaccination shots. We get treatment after we contract a disease," said a doctor on the condition of anonymity.

In a study by the Microbiology department at AIIMS in 2016, 476 staff members were surveyed on self-reported injuries. From this, 73.7 per cent doctors were hurt by needles at some point followed by 19.1 per cent nurses and 3.2 per cent of disposal staff. Of the workers, 12 (2.5 per cent) were not vaccinated against HBV.

Of the vaccinated, 24 (5 per cent) had taken three doses of the vaccine in a year, while 19 (3.9 per cent) were vaccinated over ten years ago.

AIIMS SURVEY OF 476 MEDICAL STAFF, 2016

• 73.7% doctors hurt by needles
   
• 19.1% nurses hurt by needles
   
• 3.2% disposal staff hurt by needles
   
• 2.5 (12) workers not vaccinated for HBV
   
• 5% (24) vaccinated thrice a year
   
• 3.9% (19) vaccinated over 10 years ago