Not all frontline workers wear PPE kits in Pithoragarh

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Published on May 16, 2021 by

Government teachers deployed at covid duties are not provided with basic safety kits.

Pithoragarh: Nearly 47 teachers are appointed at different Covid-19 checkpoints in the city till now, according to the District Government Teachers’ Association. However, no Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kit or N95 masks are given to them.

Dharmendra Singh, teacher appointed at the covid check post, said he did not get any PPE kit when reported at the duty. When asked the person distributing the safety equipment at the post. He was told that the PPE kit is only for the people taking samples, not for him.

“Situation is really risky for us. We are registering the people entering the city. Sometimes they have positive Covid-19 reports,” he said. He added, “Only one N95 mask was given to us and we were told to use it for 15 days by washing it.”

Mohit Bisht, another teacher appointed at the covid control room, said he is not only doing covid tracking. He is juggling tasks amid a pandemic from distributing dry ration to teaching online classes. “Government teachers are deployed at covid duties for more than a year now. I am getting mentally and physically drained now,” he added.

Dr Para, appointed at Covid-19 ward, said there is a need for PPE for everyone who has any chances of getting exposed to the virus. Teachers appointed at the check posts have the same risk of getting viruses like doctors in covid duties. “N95 masks should be changed every six hours. Also, these masks are not supposed to be washed,” she added.

On 30th April The District Government Teachers’ Association sent a memorandum to the District Magistrate through Chief Education Officer. Explaining the situation and demanding some basic safety equipment like face shield, masks, gloves, etc.

Officials from the District Magistrate’s Office, Pithoragarh said that they are working to provide every possible help to the teachers in covid duties. These teachers are working sincerely from the beginning of the pandemic.

Praveen Singh Rawal, Head of District Government Teachers’ Association, said currently the association is providing these safety kits to teachers. He added, “A PPE kit nearly costs around five hundred to six hundred rupees and N95 masks cost one hundred fifty rupees. It is not something that can be bought on a daily basis by teachers.”

He said that teachers should be recognised as frontline workers and should be given priority during vaccination. “There is a positive response from the District Magistrate regarding all this,” he added.

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