More and more health care professionals are testing positive for Covid-19 across the nation, particularly in the capital. While it is a given that a certain percentage of doctors on the front lines will contract the virus, as we have seen even in technologically advanced countries like Italy and the United States, the number can certainly be minimized through the right precautions.
After all, one does not march into battle without the adequate gear. Bravery without prudence helps no one, and right now, with a public health catastrophe knocking on our doors, we cannot afford to make any errors in judgment.
To that end, it must be stressed that adequate PPEs, which include masks and goggles, are paramount, and it is extremely disappointing and frustrating to see that substandard PPEs are being provided to many health professionals.
Surely, if ever there was a time to not cut corners, this was it.
What is further aggravating is that the Directorate General of Nursing and Midwifery staff have been told to refrain from speaking to the public or media without prior permission. This makes it harder to maintain transparency about the battles of front line workers, what they need, and what they are getting.
The bottom line is -- we need to take the needs and concerns of health workers seriously. They should be able to make demands, and if such needs are not met, the public has the right to know. At the end of the day, they are there to save lives, not to senselessly put their own lives at risk.
