Eastern Sentinel

RKM hospital prompts week-long closure after 25 health staff infected

13th Sep 2020 12:09:AM State

ITANAGAR, Sep 12: The Ramakrishna Mission Hospital (RKMH) authority has decided to close all the hospital’s services for a week starting September 14 in the wake of its staff turning Covid positive on a regular basis.

The decision was taken in an emergency meeting held here on Saturday involving the RKMH authority and staff. Till date, 25 healthcare workers including 3 doctors have turned positive and the numbers are expected to increase if not intervened immediately.

The RKMH residential complex itself qualifies to be declared as a containment zone but it was thought more prudent to close down the hospital itself to break the chain of transmission and prevent further spread of the virus. Now that disease is in the community, the hospital has decided to rely on testing and isolation, the hospital management said in a release.

The closure will continue till September 20and emergency services will close from September 13 itself. Meanwhile, all the staff will be tested and their relatives too have been requested to get tested for Covid-19.

A condolence note was given by Swami Vishweshananda for one of its healthcare workers, Salmi Sangdigoria, a sanitary assistant who succumbed fighting the virus while on duty. She is the first healthcare worker who laid down her life fighting the pandemic while on duty. The hospital paid rich tributes to the departed soul and mourned the untimely death.

The hospital authority while acknowledging the inconvenience to be caused to the people also urged them to restrict their visit to the hospital in coming days and follow all precautionary measures needed to prevent the virus's spread.

Deceased Covid-19 warrior leaves behind daughters, aged parents

ES Reorter

ITANAGAR, Sep 12:

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis earlier this year, Arunachal Pradesh has lost its second frontline warrior on Friday, with the death of Salmi Sangdigoria, a 38-year-old woman, who worked as a sanitary assistant at RKM hospital in Itanagar. The first fatality was of late Sangpuia Tayo, a contingent driver working with Lohit zonal hospital at Tezu who had lost his life in a road accident at Lathao while on COVID-19 duty on July 4 last.

Late Sangdigoria was shifted from the DCHC, Midpu to the DCH, Chimpu on Thursday night in a critical condition after testing positive on September 6 and died the next day due to acute respiratory distress syndrome.

It may be recalled that the Central government had proposed insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to frontline healthcare workers which includes sanitation staff, paramedics and nurses, ASHA workers, and doctors in the event of their death fighting Covid-19. The announcement was made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for all the COVID-19 warriors who are facing the highest risk of contracting the illness.

“We expect the state government to inform us of the formality,” said a close family associate while adding that she is survived by two children and aged parents who need financial support.

Earlier on September 2 last, in recognition of the selfless service, the Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein handed over the Rs. 50 lakh to the family of late Sangpuia Tayo in a virtual meeting at Tezu NIC.

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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