With the number of coronavirus cases jumping day by day in Bangladesh, the number of deaths from the deadly virus is also surging in an alarming rate among the frontline fighters including health professionals, police members, journalists and civil administration employees. Reportedly, till date the pandemic has claimed the lives of 42 doctors, 29 police personnel and four nurses.
A number of factors such as lack of preparation, not following the prescribed health protocols, shortage of proper protection gears and unawareness among the professionals have contributed to the rising infection and death rate among them.
Health workers say their fear of getting exposed is increasing as they do not have adequate personal protective equipment — like masks, gloves, and gowns — and infected patients could walk into the hospital at any moment. When medical professionals do not have the proper protective gears, they put at risk not only themselves but also other patients.
Frontline workers must show
complete awareness in following
the required health safety protocols
If healthcare providers get sick or are exposed to coronavirus and need self-quarantine, the patient-to-provider ratio will inflate: There will be less qualified healthcare workers who are able to take care of an increasing number of patients. This sort of vicious cycle can accelerate the impact of the disease on the community.
After health officials, indeed police are the first ones to respond to any situation related to COVID-19 while facilitating the imposed lockdown, quarantine and isolation orders across the country. Police, all across Bangladesh, have been working tirelessly risking their lives to maintain law and order, and implement government directives to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Therefore, adequate and effective personal protection equipment should be provided to the policemen, particularly to those who are on the streets. Testing for the virus should be carried out on the members of the law enforcing agencies, so that the positive cases can be segregated.
Also their living conditions must be made more hygienic. Last but not the least, all frontline workers must also show complete awareness in following the required health safety protocols.