The Lok Nayak Hospital Nursing Union has reached out to several authorities, including Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, the Chief Minister's Office, and the hospital administration, to demand a separate changing room for female nurses. The union has raised concerns about the inadequate and unhygienic conditions of the existing changing rooms at the government-run hospital. Despite the National Commission for Women (NCW) intervening and urging prompt action to improve the environment for female staff, no significant improvements have been made.

In its official letter, the nursing union highlighted that many of the changing rooms in critical departments such as medicine and gynecology are in a state of disrepair. The conditions are described as deplorable, with broken doors and a lack of proper seating arrangements, making it difficult for female nurses to comfortably and safely use these facilities.

Amit Pandey, the general secretary of the nursing union, pointed out that a team from the NCW visited Lok Nayak Hospital in September and issued a 15-day deadline to the administration to rectify the situation. However, no substantial changes have been made since then. Pandey shared examples of the poor conditions, citing the gynaecology 1B ward, where no changing room exists for female nursing officers. In one instance, a room previously designated for the nurses was reassigned as a duty room for doctors, leaving female staff with no designated space to change or rest during shifts.

The union's letter emphasizes the urgency of addressing these issues before the next visit from the NCW. The nurses are hopeful that this renewed appeal will prompt the authorities to take necessary actions to ensure that the hospital provides a safe and comfortable working environment for its female staff. The National Commission for Women has been closely monitoring the situation, and the union is keen to see improvements made before the commission's next inspection.

The demand for better facilities reflects broader concerns about workplace conditions for female healthcare workers in India. The failure to provide adequate changing rooms, particularly in a major hospital like Lok Nayak, underscores the need for institutional reforms to ensure the safety, comfort, and dignity of healthcare professionals. The nursing union continues to advocate for improvements, and it remains to be seen how the hospital administration and government will respond to these concerns.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)