Due to panic spreading over coronavirus in the country, the hospitals are inundated with patients coming in to get their symptoms checked. As a result, many patients are unable to see a doctor or receive proper treatment. Some are receiving health advice over the phone or on social media platforms.
While many of the patients are coming in with coronavirus symptoms, general patients are not getting proper treatment due to lack of doctors. Those with chronic or serious health conditions are not getting treatment and this is a cause for great concern.
Those with chronic or serious health
conditions are not getting treatment
and this is a cause for great concern.
It is alleged that ambulance staff are not serving the patients who are suffering from fever, cough and respiratory symptoms. Several patients alleged that ambulance operators do not want to take patients to Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital and Kurmitola Hospital where coronavirus patients are being treated, because panic has gripped them too.
Doctors, hospital staff and ambulance drivers are all gripped with fear as the virus is extremely contagious. Those who are providing health services are at risk of contracting Covid-19. Ambulance drivers need to be careful. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is also a must for them. Besides, PPE should be disinfected after transporting a corona patient. After that they cannot be used for 12 hours.
But with shortages of PPE, many health care workers are at risk of contracting the virus. The spread of the virus is exponential, which means that in case of an outbreak in the country, the numbers would explode very quickly. In such a situation, it would be likely overwhelm our medical care system and result in thousands of deaths.
Therefore, the authorities must work with the general public to prevent community level transmission of the disease. The government must ensure that healthcare access is ensured for all during this time of crisis.
