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Doctors And Healthcare Workers Against Covid
Covid pandemic era is a landmark in world history and we the present generation have witnessed it live. Never in our entire life can we forget the contribution of our warriors, our covid frontiers, the ones who battled to stop the disease infecting us.
The brave medical army stood strong with thermometers, stethoscopes, and ventilators as their weapons. They worked day in and night out against all odds for their fellow citizens. These frontline workers have been experiencing high work volume, personal risk and societal pressure to meet extraordinary demands for healthcare.
Given below are the challenges that doctors faced due to the pandemic, the positives that came out and the way ahead
Infodemic / Uncertainty about the disease
Doctors are in a position of authority and expertise, and their words are taken seriously to heart.
The problem is they aren’t immune to misinformation. COVID-19 was and still is with a few exceptions, a new disease with many unknowns and there are no easy answers.
There is a lot more to learn about this disease. Doctors didn't have much information about the disease but still had the moral and professional responsibility to ensure that patients receive the support, attention and treatment. They had to not only treat patients with the disease, but also prevent the spread of the disease.
Even organizations like the WHO received a lot of backlash when new evidence regarding covid emerged causing changes in publicized recommendations.
Risk to pass on the disease to their families
Doctors and other people working in health-care sectors were particularly vulnerable to the highly infectious disease.
They on their part are conscious of health and hygiene at home, and also of keep their immunity up with supplements at times. But in spite of all the precautions and protective equipments they use, there is always the fear of the possibility of passing on the disease to their family members.
Also, their profession demands to prioritize their patients over their family. Every day, the selfless warriors give their all in health-care settings while cutting themselves off from their families and loved ones.
Extreme working environment
Pandemic necessitates longer hours (and corresponding increased exposure to the virus), potential quarantines and assignments outside one’s normal specialty.
Doctors are subject to risk of illness, risk of death, fatigue from extended hours, moral distress (due to tough medical decisions, such as prioritisation of patients for ventilators) and potential legal and professional risks when being asked to work at the limits of their competencies.
Since the coronavirus outbreak, health-care professionals have not only experienced the gratification of healing patients and saving their lives but have also lost many battles along the way. On top of that, many doctors have even sacrificed their own lives in the line of duty.
Limited Resources
Doctors had to practice their profession even in under-resourced medical institutions of the country. The shortage of face masks, shields, and protective gear doesn’t help but challenges them to take extraordinary steps for the health of their patients, thus risking their own lives.
Positives from the pandemic
The respect for healthcare professionals has grown manifolds in the hearts of people.The world is taking the health, healthcare professionals and hospitals more seriously.
The deadly virus has brought attention to the inadequacies in the health-care systems across the globe. It is good to see that governments worldwide have decided to allocate more budget for healthcare in their respective countries.
More work is expected to be done for hospitals and intensive care units (ICUs) to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure in the country.
Way ahead
As we move forward, we know that the pandemic continues to evolve. Although it seems as if we’ve been engaged in the battle against COVID-19 for a very long time, in the broader context of disease and science, it’s actually been a relatively short period.
Fortunately, we’ve made significant progress in our understanding of this disease, our ability to combat it, and our efforts to help patients suffering with it.
Conclusion
We must reassess the value health-care workers hold in our lives and the kind of treatment they get from us. All we can do is try to give medical professionals the respect, compensation and infrastructure that they truly deserve.
The sacrifice of doctors and healthcare workers across the globe will not go to waste. Humanity will always be grateful to them for what they are doing during these unprecedented times.
