Tapon Kumar, a sweeper of Forensic department of Rajshahi Medical College dissects dead bodies at the morgue for a long time. But, he now feels insecure and panicky. Under such Coronavirus situation elsewhere, he has been dissecting dead bodies at the morgue without any PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). Even, no hand gloves or sanitizer has been supplied to him. As a result, he feels utterly worried to work under such situation.
Not only Tapon Kumar but all the sweepers working at the morgue of RMCH are now also extremely panicky. They said, no one can tell for sure that which dead body is carrying Coronvirus or COVID-19. They did not get any PPE or any other form of protective equipment from the hospital. As a result, all of them were now seriously worried of contacting the Coronavirus.
Meanwhile, all the trash collected from the laboratory set up for detection of Coronavirus at RMC are being disposed to a place infront of the dissection room of the morgue. Those trash are being dumped in a ditch filled with water. Sweepers of the morgue have to walk beside that dumping ground to reach the morgue. As a result, they were also apprehending to be contacted with the virus from this dumping ground. Swepers have protested the issues.
On Sunday morning sweepers went to dissect dead body of a young girl who died by taking poison. The sweepers were afraid. Without dissecting the dead body, they went to Dr.Sabera Gulnahar, Head of the department of Virology of Rajshahi Medical College and demanded PPE, gloves and hand sanitiser from her before going to the dissecting table.
They also requested her to take action to dump the trash of Corona Lab to some other place rather than beside the way of the morgue. Dr. Sabera Gulnahar, however, assured them to fulfil their demand soon when they went to perform their duties.
By revealing a stark reality, sweeper Tapon Kumar informed, for ages the monthly salary of a sweeper is Taka 20( twenty ) only. Yes, Taka 20 per month only, he reiterated saying that none of the sweepers draws that 'insulting' amount of salary rather they seek money from the relatives of the dead person and manage to maintain their families somehow with that money.
Now, they have no money to maintain their families. And, in such situation, if they are attacked with any disease, they would fall in danger with their families. As a result, they were demanding required protective equipments for their job and a regular salary in the government pay scale.
Another Sweeper of RMCH morue Bipon Kumar informed, they have to perform the works of carrying the dead body to the morgue, dissecting it, sewing it again and again carrying that autopsied dead body on the van. A doctor at the Forensic department only collect the samples from the dead body.
Even, while the doctor inspects any injury on the dead body, the sweeper has to move and show the dead body to him/her. As a result, the sweepers will be the first victim to be infected if there is any dead body carried to the morgue for autopsy died of Coronvirus. But, they don't have any gloves, sanitizer and the PPE to wear and keep themselves safe from contacting with such disease. Other sweepers of the morgue including Tapon and Bipon were now extremely worried to dissect the dead body under such situation.
Dr. Naoshad Ali, Principal of Rajshahi Medical College informed, there are 10 PPEs for the sweepers which have been handed ovder to the Head of the Forensic department but those have not yet been distributed among the sweepers because the sweepers will not be given to use PPEs for dissecting all sort of dead bodies.
Those PPEs will be given to the sweepers during dissecting of any dead body suspected to die from Coronavirus. In question to disposal of the trash of the Corona detection lab, he informed, those trash are dumped in a special protective protective bag that is why there is no possibility to spread any virus from there but the authorities of RMC was thinking for alternative to dispose off those trash to another place.
