PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI: As coronavirus looms giant on Sindh, medical doctors and paramedics proceed to combat the battle on frontline, work exhausting and with dedication to save lots of the lives of these stricken by COVID-19.
Nevertheless, it’s unlucky that the wellbeing of those unsung heroes is paid little consideration to. It was made additional evident when, operating wanting protecting gear in opposition to coronavirus, they had been left to fend for themselves, with little assist from the federal government.
The state of affairs has worsened to such an extent that they could finally must keep away from work to guard themselves in opposition to COVID-19.
Docs of main hospitals in Karachi, together with together with Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Heart (JPMC), Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, Nationwide Institute of Youngster Well being (NICH), Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) and others, have complained that healthcare employees haven’t been supplied needed gear, together with N-95 masks and gloves.
That is even though they arrive involved with COVID-19 sufferers greater than anybody else and fixed publicity with none safety spells doom for them. And it’s already occurring.
“One of our doctors has been tested positive,” disclosed Younger Docs Affiliation’s (YDA’s) Sindh chapter President Dr Omer Sultan. “This is a new infection. No one has experience to deal with such COVID-19 patients,” he identified, including that “Most doctors and nurses risked their lives to save others.”
Chatting with The Categorical Tribune, Dr Sultan stated that hospital managements had not but supplied them masks, gloves and different protecting gear.
“We are told that they are keeping it in storage for difficult time,” he stated. “Isn’t it a difficult time already?” he questioned.
He demanded that each one individuals working on the hospital be supplied with the security gear, including that YDA was additionally working in the direction of arranging protecting gear for medical doctors and different medical employees.
A feminine physician, who requested to not be named, stated that at Dr ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, protecting gear was solely being supplied to employees working in isolation wards. She claimed that when she requested for one for herself, her request was laughed off and the following day she noticed three to 4 folks combating over a field of protecting gear.
“Eventually, they gave me a low quality mask after making me wait for an hour,” she complained.
One other physician, additionally talking on situation of anonymity, stated that whereas he understood that Pakistan was a growing nation and it might be tough for the federal government to offer all required security gear, he anticipated not less than some may very well be organized for. “If not, more doctors will get infected in the future,” he warned.
“But ensuring medical staff’s safety is very important,” he confused. “If these frontline workers remain healthy and protected, only then the government would be able to win the war against the virus.” He claimed that they had been consistently instructed that medical employees would quickly be supplied protecting gear however he didn’t see it occurring within the close to future.
Taking initiative
With no hopes from the federal government, medical doctors from totally different hospitals have taken it upon themselves to rearrange from the required protecting gear. They’ve been collected cash and buying masks, gloves and sanitisers.
“All of us have been contributing according to our financial positions,” a health care provider from JPMC defined, and in consequence, not less than 200 N-95 masks and 500 sanitisers had been distributed amongst medical doctors on Monday, following this initiative.
‘No shortage’
Nevertheless, JPMC Government Director Dr Seemin Jamali denies any scarcity of protecting gear. “We have provided it to all staff members who need it,” she stated.
Nevertheless, she admitted that not all medical doctors had been supplied N-95 masks and gloves, however solely those that working in isolation wards and excessive danger areas like emergency wards.
“Though, we might face a shortage in the future,” she stated. “But at least now we have enough stock and all the staff at JPMC has been provided protective gear.”
Transport challenge
Including to the medical employees’s predicament is the suspension if intra-city transport, making it tough for them to commute to work.
Consequently, the administration of Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital has requested the administration of the Dow College of Well being Sciences to rearrange transport facility for its employees so they might attain at their work simply.
OPDs suspended
In the meantime, owing to the prevailing state of affairs, the administration of Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital has directed the medical doctors different employees to work within the emergency ward whereas companies in any respect OPDs of the hospital will stay suspended.
Printed in The Categorical Tribune, March 25th, 2020.
