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| After two months of shutdown, admin accepts “Pregnant women” are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection | | Frontline employees raising issue since early days of lockdown | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 24: In an era of fast communicating world, where information flows from one corner of the globe to another within seconds, a vital information regarding “more susceptibility of pregnant woman to COVID-19 infection”, took over 60 days to reach the office of district administration Kathua.
Finally the administration has woken up from its deep slumber and issued a circular on May 24, acknowledging the vulnerability of pregnant woman employees and officials to catch COVID-19 infection. Though a very much delayed step but still a welcoming one in comparison to administration of other districts, which have yet to acknowledge the fact about the pregnant women workforce in government offices, which has been raised by the frontline staff since the early days of the lockdown.
The District Administration Kathua on May 24, issued a circular mentioning guidelines for Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) related to Pregnant women employees. The circular reads, “.......working women especially in government offices, banks, hospitals etc are at greater risk in view of public dealing involved......medical experts have opined that pregnant woman and more susceptible to infection....I therefore order that all DDOs/Heads of offices including government offices, Private Organizations, Banks, Health Institutions, or such other establishments involved in public dealing shall compulsory ensure that pregnant women officials are sent on leave w.e.f 24th of May for a period of one month immediately”. The circular made it clear that the pregnant employees would be given full pay/emoluments/arrears as due during the routine duty and also gave helpline number if some employer or official denied the same.
Though the step is very much delayed but a welcome one, argued the frontline workers. According to the frontline workers including Police personnel, Health and nursing staff, Safai Karamcharis beside others, they have been raising the issue of susceptibility of the pregnant women since the early days of the lockdown on March 24th.
“Many news with reference to scientific studies have been circulating over the social media platforms about the vulnerability of the pregnant women and these have been making rounds for the last over two months”, a health professional said, adding that even though the guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs have talked about the vulnerability of pregnant women, elderly people above 65 years and children.
“But all the frontline staff working in various districts need circulars issued by the District Administration, which were not issued for the last two months. During the early days, some nursing staff of a Government Medical College had complained about them shifting in an ambulance without maintaining physical distancing norms. They had also complained about denial of facilities to a pregnant women staff member but the issue was not addressed by the health administration”, an employee said, adding that for the last over 60 days, the Health and Nursing Staff, Bank employees, women police personnel, safai karamcharis have been doing their routine work and there was no exemption to them during these days.
It is very serious issue and why the district administrations remained in slumber for the last over 60 days and failed to issue circulars, should be enquired upon. “The district administrations should be held accountable for pushing the vulnerable women employees at the frontline duties”, the health employees said. |
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