Fear, Struggle, and Heartbreak for Medical Staff on Corona Virus Frontline

Healthcare workers, nurses, and doctors have become the unwitting heroes of the Coronavirus outbreak, and they are winning applause from streets and balconies from around the world. From Yaounde to New York, the outbreak has infected more than a million people and claimed around 1 lakh lives. While facing a lack of equipment in many cases and the fear of getting infected with treating people, hospital workers are dealing with a comprehensive introduction of patients. They often face heartbreaking decisions while treating patients. 

According to today’s international news headlines in English where several interviews were published about healthcare workers stating what it feels like to on the frontend of this pandemic treating people, we have discovered the following things:

• In the United States – Lack of equipment.

The President of the New York State Nurses Association Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, complained about the lack of equipment like protective gear for health care workers. 

She said at a recent interview. “They don’t have the enough medical workers/Army and the protective gear/armor to protect ourselves against the epidemic.” 

Besides, in New York, a 43-years old nurse caught the virus because he was taking care of patients without proper protective gear. New York is the epicenter of the Coronavirus outbreak in the United States and also the worst affected country so far. 

• In ECUADOR- Mortgages are almost full.

In Ecuador, a sick nurse does not attempt to hide her anger: most of her colleagues are infected, and among them, 5 of them died. 

It is one of the worst affected countries in South America where the morgues are full and hundreds of dead bodies lying inside homes.

 A 55-year-old nurse, “We went to war without any weapons,” 

“The necessary equipment was not ready when the pandemic started,” said the health worker, who is resting at home as there is no space in the hospitals.

• In Cameroon- Health workers are afraid.

One of the most affected countries in Africa is Cameroon. A doctor treating Coronavirus patients admits that fear of catching the disease also affects healthcare workers. Besides, a health worker in Cameroon is taking precautions from a drug used to cure malaria named Chloroquine. Though more evidence is needed, some previous studies are proving that Chloroquine might be useful in the treatment and prevent the virus. 

• In Turkey: They feel like a war is going on.

The Director of Medical University at Istanbul said It feels like the war over here because everyone is working like crazy. We are fighting against COVID-19 and trying to save humankind from getting infected and saving their life. The atmosphere in the hospitals are not like normal, but like a battlefield, said another health worker. According to today’s international news headlines in English, most of them are sleeping in hotels as they are afraid of infecting their families. 

• In Italy: We can’t afford to get sick.

Numerous doctors and nurses have died from COVID-19 in Italy, and thousands of other health workers are infected. To avoid the contagion of the virus, Italy is using knitted out masks and gloves. And to prevent getting infected, they are washing their hands 60-70 minutes a day as one of the workers said they couldn’t afford to get sick. 

• Spain: Patients are left alone.

A health worker from Spain shared heartbreaking news saying he has to call a patient’s family member every day to say goodbye as people are dying every day. Even there are cases where everyone in the family is dead, and only one member is left. It is very difficult to see that the patients are left alone in the world battling for life from the Coronavirus outbreak.