Kolkata hospitals in a spot as nurses quit jobs, leave city amid COVID-19 crisis

The healthcare sector in Bengal is staring at a major crisis as over 300 nurses have quit their jobs at private hospitals here and left for their homes in Manipur and other parts of the country amid spurt in COVID-19 cases.

The Association of Hospitals of Eastern India (AHEI), a non-statutory body with 17 private medical facilities in Kolkata as members, has written to Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha seeking his intervention in resolving the crisis.

At least 185 nurses left for Manipur earlier this
In his letter, Pradeep Lal Mehta, the president of the AHEI, said, "Although the exact reason why they are leaving is not known, we have found out from other nurses still on duty that the state government of Manipur is offering them a lucrative stipend to return home."
Taking to Facebook, however, Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh rubbished the claim and said, "No such advisory has been issued by the state. We are not asking anybody to return. We feel proud of them as they serve the patients in Calcutta, Delhi and Chennai."