"I am tired of all this discrimination. 

I work as a nurse at a local hospital. Our management has directed us to treat each and every patient as a COVID patient, but where are the PPE equipment for us to do so? 

Despite the high level of precaution needed, my nursing colleagues and I have not received a PPE kit or goggles. We were just given a one-ply surgical mask.

WHO and the Union Health Ministry says that we should receive a N95 while working but only the doctors have received it, nurses were told it is not required. This is partiality and unfair.

Worse is we are missing from decision-making channels..how many PPE kits are needed, logistics, isolation, movement of patients, what additional precautions are required...our nursing units are not considered or included in it.

We have been asked to take a certain precautionary dose of a medicine and have been asked to maintain social distancing.

But tell me

WHILE GIVING AN INJECTION, CAN I MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING. IT IS NOT RIGHT TO EVEN EXPECT THIS OF A NURSE

ARE OUR LIVES NOT IMPORTANT?

DOCTORS ARE FAVOURED EACH TIME.

Even the rosters for going into quarantine after working for seven days are made for the doctors. Our time off is not planned.

I am tired and exhausted of this partiality. I have no motivation to work anymore. I am moving like a machine day in and day out...I have nothing to look forward to, nothing to feel grateful for.  

Our hospital gave us an insurance cover worth Rs 50 lakh, but why not think of our protection first...I don't think they are serious about it," reports a nurse who did not wish to be named, but works in a private hospital in Mumbai.

(Pic credit: macrovector/freepik)