Modiji, we are going to die, A Bihar nurse's plea

Julie Kumari, a staff nurse at the Patna-based, government-run Nalanda Medical College and Hospital, took to social media to urge Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi to please save her and the hospital staff from likely death.

Julie and her colleagues work in the hospital's isolation ward without basic safety kits, N95 masks and alcohol-based sanitisers.

'Please, please, Modiji, hamari suniye.

Hum marne wale hai. Aapne ye kaisa kit diya hai? Is se corona marij ka elaj kaise hoga? Hum nahi bach payenge (Please, please, Modiji, hear us. We are going to die. What kind of kit have you given us? How can we treat patients like this? We won't survive.)'

An emotional Julie, in her video message from the hospital's isolation ward for suspected coronavirus patients, requested Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to save her and her colleagues by immediately providing personal protective equipment and N95 masks.

She also questioned the quality of the common safety kit (for surgical operations and the HIV kit) given to them by the health department authorities.

We are doing our duty despite the risk to our lives,' Julie added. 'But we also have families; we have children. Please provide us with a quality safety kit.'

Dozens of hospital staff nurses gheraoed the hospital superintendent on March 27, demanding safety kits.