Paramedics who are involved in collection, transportation and testing of swabs for the novel coronavirus have written to the health department with a list of grievances and demands, including for better equipment.

The state government has in turn said that it is trying its best in a crisis situation.

Jharkhand has around 6,00 paramedics.

“We are the frontline soldiers in this fight against coronavirus. For more than one month we have been working tirelessly, but the government is not paying attention to our basic concerns. Due to lack of proper facilities we are exposed to the virus,” said Upendra Kumar Singh, general secretary, All Jharkhand Para Medical Association.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) kits provided are of “very poor” quality, said a paramedic who requested anonymity.

“Stitches come off often. As per protocol persons collecting samples must be given two pairs of gloves for additional protection. The gloves have to be sanitised after each sample collection.

And when you sanitise a pair of gloves around 50 times it remains no more usable. But we have no option but to work with the same gloves because they are not given in required quantities. Nobody bothers that we are always exposed to contamination and we need proper safety gear,” said the paramedic who has self-quarantined after collecting a couple of samples that tested positive.

The paramedics' association has submitted a memorandum to principal health secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni with their grievances and demands.

“A good number of paramedics are working on contract. Officials often abuse us. Those working with PPE face dehydration and they need a lot of water, anti-allergy drinks and things like that but we get none of it. There is no proper facility of food also,” said another paramedic.

The association has also alleged that there is no provision of quarantine for them which is mandatory as per the guidelines of Indian Council of Medical Research.

The association has demanded insurance cover for paramedics and police security during duty.

Contacted, principal health secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni said that the government is trying to provide the best among the available facilities.

“This is a crisis-like situation and somewhere we have to compromise with the situation. We should forget small issues,” Kulkarni said.

The state government has repeatedly said it was not getting enough assistance from the Centre, and Hemant has cited the shortage of PPE kits as an example.