LNJP order telling quarantined healthcare workers to vacate hotels put in abeyance

A day after LNJP Hospital authorities issued an order telling all quarantined healthcare workers to vacate hotels and other lodging facilities given to them, the decision was on Thursday "put in abeyance" for a week, sources said.

The order issued by the Medical Director of the Delhi government-run facility on Wednesday said, the accommodation provided to the doctors and other heathcare workers be vacated by 12 noon on Thursday.

"The RDA of the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) submitted a representation to the hospital authorities, raising infeasibilities in complying with the order, like spreading infection to their family if the healthcare workers leave the quarantine facility before 14-day period," a source said.

"So, it has been decided to put the yesterday's order in abeyance for week," he said.

During this time, modalities will be worked out, to treat the situation on a "case by case basis", the source said.

The hospital authorities had issued the order under the directions issued by the government authorities on May 18.

The order by the LNJP Hospital dated May 20, said, "Regular quarantine of healthcare workers after performing duty in COVID-19 areas is not warranted" and those medical staff under quarantine must vacate the accommodation provided in hotels and dharamshalas across the city.

The Delhi health department in an order issued on March 29 had said that doctors treating coronavirus patients at LNJP and GBP hospitals will be accommodated at a private hotel here on city government's expense.

The order had said the accommodation will be provided at the plush Lalit Hotel in central Delhi.

Dr Parv Mittal, president of the Residents Doctors' Association (RDA) of MAMC, said, "We had appealed to the Medical Director of the hospital to reconsider the decision. Doctors are also getting infected by coronavirus, and going back to home means running the risk of infecting family members".

"We were given assurance that our appeal will be heard," he added.