The All Ceylon Nurses’ Association says that the nurses, staff and patients of the Sri Lanka National Hospital are in serious danger due to the stalling of antigen tests and the lack of severe surgical masks.
The association states that the antigen testing of patients admitted to the Accident Ward of the Sri Lanka National Hospital in Colombo has been suspended from noon on 07.06.2021 due to the fact that it was learned that there were no antigen kits required for the examination. They also say that the situation has severely affected other hospital admissions.
Antigen testing was able to distinguish corona patients from patients who had previously been hospitalized for various treatments as well as those who had been treated for various conditions, thereby preventing staff and other inpatients in the wards from becoming corona infected. Lanka Nurses Association points out.
Also, there is a serious shortage of surgical masks for the use of all staff as well as patients at the Sri Lanka National Hospital. They also say that the number is not enough for a single shift. The All Ceylon Nurses’ Association (ACNA) said in a statement that there was a severe shortage of PPE kits and that national hospitals had become unsafe for staff and patients.
We have been urging all health authorities and hospital staff to provide the hospital system with the necessary safety equipment and supplies to deal with the growing corona epidemic throughout the past, but they have ignored it and now the hospital staff have to pay the price. The statement added that it was “extremely unfortunate” for the patients and the public.
They further requested the relevant authorities to take immediate action to ensure the safety of the health workers as well as the sick staff including the nursing staff who are engaged in continuous service and to provide all necessary facilities immediately.