COVID-19: Frontline health workers deserve more treatment, rewards than what African govts offer - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Afri-Goal has noted with disdain the ill-treatment being meted to frontline health workers on the continent, saying they deserve more than African governments currently offer, reports ITREALMS.

The group noted that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in Africa, health workers have been sacrificing themselves, putting their lives at risk to ensure persons infected are treated and recovered.

Due to the valiant efforts of our health workers, the African continent has recorded 524,557 recoveries of the total 910,395 confirmed cases recorded.

"Sadly, these health workers are not getting the accolades they deserve. 

"The latest data by the World Health Organisation shows that over 10,000 health workers are infected in Africa. This is largely due to the lack of personal protective equipment and weak infection prevention, with the government solely to blame for those.

"Hundreds of health workers have also died after being infected with the pandemic coronavirus.

"The continent is plagued with a sub-par health system ranging from lack of adequate facilities to absence of incentives for health workers.

"Eighty-four per cent of the continent’s healthcare facilities surveyed by the WHO were found to have poor infrastructure to prevent infections.

"Over 1.4 million or 10 per cent of all cases worldwide are among healthcare workers though there is a wide range between individual countries.

"In several African countries, infection prevention and control measures aimed at preventing infections in healthcare facilities are still not fully implemented.

"Afri-Goal has heard sad tales of how health workers in government-owned hospitals have to purchase PPE with their personal funds due to non-provision by the government. This is nothing but the height of gross carelessness and dereliction of duties on the part of the government."

Therefore, they called on the African Union to direct all Heads of countries to prioritize the care of health workers especially those at the frontline of the battle against the pandemic coronavirus.

"We urge all countries to ensure the availability of PPE and also beyond monthly salary provide hazard allowance for all health workers as incentive to appreciate their efforts in combating the pandemic coronavirus."

Chuks Egbune/DoP