Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Guyana now stand at 70, and even as authorities grapple with under-reported cases here, the worldwide death toll and new cases are increasing daily, with over 2.5 million persons testing positive for the virus.
Health systems and health workers are being challenged to their maximum capacity, as no country was ever prepared to deal with a crisis of this proportion. In the middle of all of this are the healthcare workers — including doctors, nurses, medical assistants, lab technicians and others — who are making tremendous sacrifices every day; even risking their lives to win this battle.
Over the past months, we have seen reports from the international media about the selfless services these frontline workers are offering to save lives and contain the further spread of this deadly virus. In fact, there were a few reports of some of these frontline workers becoming depressed after being so overwhelmed with witnessing the suffering of persons firsthand and with seeing the magnitude of the task ahead.
In an article on mental health toll of the COVID-19 pandemic published by TIME, it stated that some early data already paints a bleak picture. According to the article, a study published on March 23 in the medical journal JAMA found that, among 1,257 healthcare workers working with COVID-19 patients in China, 50.4 per cent reported symptoms of depression, 44.6 per cent symptoms of anxiety, 34 per cent insomnia, and 71.5 per cent reported distress.
In Guyana, our healthcare workers, too, are faced with lifechanging decisions, as they put their lives at risk to save those who contracted the disease. Our healthcare professionals are even being stigmatised and discriminated against by public transport operators and some business owners. This was obviously done out of fear, by persons who felt they could have contracted the virus very easily by having any contact with such persons. To some extent, this has been resolved, as transportation arrangements have been put in place for them, but it is noteworthy, since persons continue to put their lives on the line while providing an invaluable and selfless service to the nation.
The challenges healthcare workers, especially nurses, face daily cannot be underestimated. For this reason, governments and other health partners must continue to make the necessary investments in them, to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge, and are well equipped with the resources they need to do their work in a comfortable and safe environment.
Historically, as well as presently, nurses are at the forefront of fighting epidemics and pandemics that threaten health across the globe. As we have seen around the world, they are demonstrating their compassion, bravery and courage as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new report, titled ‘The State of the World’s Nursing 2020’, which was published recently, provides an in-depth look into the nursing profession. Compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and Nursing Now, the report produced findings which identify important gaps in the nursing workforce and priority areas for investment in nursing education, jobs, and leadership to strengthen nursing around the world.
The report reveals that today there are just under 28 million nurses worldwide. Between 2013 and 2018, nursing numbers had increased by 4.7 million. But this still leaves a global shortfall of 5.9 million – with the greatest gaps found in countries in Africa, South East Asia and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region, as well as in some parts of Latin America.
To equip the world with the nursing workforce it needs, WHO and its partners have made a number of recommendations. They have recommended that countries educate and train nurses in the scientific, technological and sociological skills they need to drive progress in primary health care; establish leadership positions, and support leadership development among young nurses; and ensure that nurses in primary health care teams work to their full potential, for example in preventing and managing noncommunicable diseases; and improve working conditions, including through safe staffing levels and fair salaries etc.
According to the WHO report, without nurses, midwives, and other healthcare workers, countries cannot win the battle against outbreaks.
Today, locally and further afield, we see the importance of healthcare workers, and we must salute them for their tremendous sacrifices.
