In China, more than 3,387 healthcare workers got infectedwith the coronavirus. About 80% of people who died from Covid-19 were over theage of 60. However, the death of doctors, usually in their 20s and 30s, sparkedconcerns, and there were voices of distress about it.
In Iran, scores of young doctors and paramedical staff alsolost their lives. So far, more than 1500 have been infected while fightingCovid-19. Iran hailed health professionals as ‘martyrs’ and treated defendersof health as defenders of borders.
In Italy, more than 100 doctors have died because ofCovid-19, while 30 nurses and nursing assistants lost their life battling thisvirus. At least 2,629 health workers have been infected, representing 8.3percent of total cases in Italy thus far.
In Britain, eight doctors and scores of paramedical stafftoo lost their lives to this virus. Britain’s largest nursing union foreseesmore health worker causalities from Covid-19 as new figures show an ‘enormous’level of contagion among the medical personnel.
In Spain, numerous nurses and doctors were lost tocoronavirus besides hundreds getting infected. Albeit a developed nation, thedoctors in Spain say ‘they feel like fighting naked against coronavirus.’
All over the world, healthcare professionals are facingunprecedented pressure in a rush of Covid-19 patients while putting themselvesat fatal risk. While it is terrifying and given the high level of angst among healthprofessionals, nations are working round the clock to make sure that theirheroic healthcare staff feels safe and the full weight of government behindthem.
Back home, far from lauding the role of healthcareprofessionals, we are still stuck with archaic ‘Raja Praja’ mentality. Anarrogant Babu abusing a doctor—who like combat-medic puts nerve-racking longhours among Covid-19 patients—is just nauseating, despicable and pitiful. Weperhaps undervalue the fact that when most of the population is indoors, thefrontline health workers leave their family to confront the lethal virus thathas brought the whole world to standstill. And when they are home, theyself-quarantine themselves either in an outhouse or a separate room withoutmeeting their family for days. It continues to be scary as they preparethemselves for another shift work of grimmer reality.
Apart from facing mounting pressure from administration toremain silent about the shortage of medical equipment and protection measures,they also have to swallow humiliation from few uncultured administrators whotend to exploit the political upheaval in Kashmir in their favor. Surrounded byfew dumb gunmen and yesmen, such megalomaniacs in high chairs are just asplotch. Sadly, in Kashmir, positions pledge people a wicked right to harassanyone!
Amid escalating strain on frontline health workers and theirfamilies, such bullying tactics are demoralizing. In fact, such people bring abad name to other civilized officers who are doing their best to overcome thiscrisis. For sure, everything can’t be managed by civil administration; medicalprofessionals should be taken along to manage this pandemic.
As there is a surge in Covid-19 positive numbers in Kashmirand a proportionate shortage of protective gears, the Doctors Association ofKashmir (DAK) has appealed people to donate generously for the purchase ofhazmat suits though their ‘silence’ over other issues seems off the wall.
Emphasizing the significance of combat medics battlingcoronavirus outbreak, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “Doctors are saving ourlives. If doctors stop working, then we all can imagine what will happen. Therewill be zero tolerance to any misbehavior with doctors.” Of course, we needthem in what they can do and trust God to do the rest.
Bottomline: Right now, entire medical fraternity is far morevulnerable to infection than the general population, risking their lives toprotect the lives of others. We need to realize it while valuing and supportingeach other in remaining hopeful and optimistic.