Maharashtra alone, with the highest number of more than 7.3 lakh of confirmed Covid-19 cases so far, accounts for around 28% of infected healthcare workers and more than 50% of total deaths, according to the data.
While Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had screened more than 1 lakh of healthcare workers each as of August 28, Karnataka reported that there were only 12,260 healthcare workers infected, almost half the burden in Maharashtra. Tamil Nadu reported 11,169 cases that included Asha doctors, nurses and workers. The three states together accounted for 55% of the total cases among healthcare workers.
All three states also reported the highest number of health professional deaths, albeit with a large gap between Maharashtra and the other two. While Maharashtra reported 292 deaths among health workers, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had 46 and 49 deaths, respectively.
Public health officials and experts view with concern a large number of Covid-19 infections and even deaths of healthcare workers in particular states, who say the risks to frontline workers may jeopardize India’s fight against the pandemic.
The issue, discussed at a review meeting led by the cabinet secretary on Thursday, saw the Center warning states about the need to protect a crucial resource. Possible factors responsible for the high infections, authorities said, were lax infection control in hospitals and the need for strict containment measures in areas where healthcare professionals reside to safeguard them.
Despite the high number of cases, the government has received only 143 claims since April under the Rs 50 lakh Covid-19 insurance scheme for healthcare workers involved in Covid mitigation activities.
Official sources said that the large gap between the number of deaths and claims could be due to the fact that all victims may not be eligible under the scheme. Additionally, claims take a while to arrive, as families of the dead take the time to apply and do the necessary paperwork.
“Solidarity with health workers cannot be achieved by mere words of encouragement, but by concerted efforts to strengthen the health workforce. A safety net should be provided for their families, including temporary insurance coverage of more than 2 million rupees, with the government as the only guarantee, ”said Giridhar Babu, epidemiologist with the Public Health Foundation of India.
“Protecting healthcare workers is of the utmost importance to ensure that we have a force large enough to care for patients who need their services,” said Dr. H Sudarshan Ballal, President of Manipal Hospitals, who said that said Workers may be at risk due to large numbers of asymptomatic patients and lack of proper use of PPE.
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