Mérida nurses protest at ISSSTE Pensiones Hospital

Nurses from the Regional Hospital of the Issste in Mérida denounced that they do not have adequate equipment and material to care for patients with coronavirus, which has caused several colleagues to become ill with COVID-19.

The nurses also denounced mistreatment by their superiors, through a protest they held on Thursday, June 25th, outside the hospital, which is located in the Pensiones neighborhood, in Mérida, Yucatan.

They also complained that there is not enough staff to cover them, they do not allow them to rest during work hours, and they state that the protective equipment they use is of very poor quality.

Health workers assured that the equipment and protective suits are breaking, which increases the risk of contagion among medical personnel, since at least 10 of their colleagues have become ill with Covid-19.

They indicated that their superiors do not listen to their demands, they treat them badly and yell at them. In addition to accusing them of being “lazy”, which is obviously not true, since all they ask for is better working conditions.

For example, a stretcher-bearer who was about to retire is now hospitalized, as he is in serious condition from the coronavirus.

During the protest, the nurses also said that they do not have hot water for bathing, that the face masks only last five hours and they do not have enough material to take care of patients properly.

The dissatisfied nurses demanded the resignation of the deputy chief of nursing, Nicte-Ha Durán; the head of human resources, Wilma Canul, as well as the deputy chief of nursing, Gibrán Martínez.