Around 50 laboratory technicians of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), who perform a crucial role in pathological examinations in the fight against Covid-19, remained off duty and staged a demonstration on Friday outside the office of RIMS medical superintendent Vivek Kashyap demanding safety for themselves.

The development took place after one of their colleagues tested positive for novel coronavirus on Thursday.

“Days are not far when all of us will test positive for Covid-19 as the RIMS administration is not taking care of our safety. We are regularly being sent to test swabs of corona suspects though the rulebook says quarantine of 14 days after seven days of work. More than 50 per cent laboratory technicians, who are being assigned jobs in this time, are low-paid outsourced staff. Though the number of permanent staff can be increased by appointing 33 lab technicians who have already cleared RIMS recruitment test in January, nothing is being done in this direction. The existing strength is being used like a sacrificial goat,” said laboratory technician H. Kumar said.

Kashyap could not be contacted for comment when called four times between 2.47pm and 3.34pm, however, RIMS microbiology department head Manoj Kumar said: “We are running tests of around 200 samples which were already collected before Friday. New samples could not be collected. Friday was used in sanitising the laboratory.”