GOALPARA, April 26 - A section of frontline health workers has expressed its resentment over the Health Department�s directive to them to take up surveillance activities, including collection of blood samples for identifying Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)/Japanese Encephalitis (JE), malaria and dengue in the district.
Talking to this correspondent, some frontline workers including surveillance workers and MPWs, who do not wished to be named, said that it�s an uphill task considering that they are on the frontline in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, protecting themselves becomes the key to fighting the contagion and there is always the chance that they can also become an agent of community transmission.
There is palpable anger among these workers for getting such instructions via WhatsApp message vide letter no. NVBDCP/GLP/Tech-G/Cores/2019/2020/118, dated 17/04/2020 in a district which is in the red zone.
Meanwhile, they also informed that through a memorandum addressed to the Joint Director, Health and Family Welfare, Goalpara that the frontline health workers have expressed their fear of getting contaminated during the course of collecting blood samples from individuals due to lack of adequate precautionary measures including PPEs in the district.
