The longer the Covid-19 pandemic rages on, the closer our healthcare system comes to being dangerously overwhelmed. Already, hospitals are facing shortages of both specialist doctors and support staff.
Specialized doctors are crucial to limiting the rising death toll since patients with pre-existing conditions such as coronary, respiratory, or neurological issues are among the groups most vulnerable to coronavirus. As a result of Covid-19 being a highly contagious disease, meticulous cleaners and support staff are also vital to ensuring that the spread of the disease is kept to a minimum.
These issues are only further aggravated as healthcare professionals continue to get sick because of inadequate protective gear, leading to even lower numbers of professionals available on the field. Numerous medical workers have also reported suffering from mental trauma as a result of working ceaselessly on the front lines.
These professionals are our main line of defense against the pandemic, and it is alarming that we are not doing more to support them the best we can.
However, measures have been taken to deal with certain shortages, such as the government deploying 2000 new doctors, as well as resolving the shortage of nurses. While these are admirable steps, the time for steady mitigation is past us.
According to reports by the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19, the government needs to dedicate at least one-third of doctors who have completed their postgraduate studies to Covid-19 hospitals. Simply increased numbers are no longer enough to tackle the current crisis -- it calls for a more calculated, holistic approach involving greater numbers of specialized professionals and support staff, as well as more and better equipment to protect both patients and health care workers.
It is hardly justified to ask current healthcare workers, who are already putting their lives on the line, to mindlessly devote themselves to ridding the nation of the virus if we are not doing everything we can to provide maximum support.