Covid-infected nurse attending patients ‘under pressure’ from authorities

As bizarre as it may sound, a Covid positive nurse has been discharging duties at the children ward of Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital for about a week allegedly due to the pressure from the hospital authorities.

Sharmin Afroz, a senior assistant nurse at the hospital, tested positive on August 2. She remained at home until August 8, but had to join the hospital on August 9 "as the authorities insisted."

Sharmin said she still had fever, sneeze and cough.

"Right now, I need to take rest at home and get treatment, but under the pressure from the authorities, I have to come to my duty regularly," she said.

Attendants who came to know about her infection have already had their patients released from the hospital.

Mominul Islam, a father who had his child admitted to the hospital on August 7.

He got to know about the nurse's infection on August 9 and took her child out of the hospital without informing the authorities.

"It is very risky to treat a child at a hospital ward where a nurse has been infected with coronavirus," Mominul told The Daily Star.

Contacted, the hospital's Superintendent Sirajul Islam said he did not know about the matter.

"Action would be taken against those who allowed the nurse to discharge her duty," he said.

Lalmonirhat Civil Surgeon Nirmalendu Roy said it could not be accepted at all.

He said he would talk to the hospital authorities and take immediate action in this regard, he said.