Why are there so many healthcare providers for COVID-19 in Ukraine?



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In the last 24 hours in Ukraine, 91 medical professionals have contracted the coronavirus COVID-19 infection, with a total of 879 cases (42 of them have already recovered) They are only official figures.

The number of doctors infected with coronavirus is constantly increasing, and sometimes not in units but in dozens. At Kyiv City Clinical Hospital # 6, 15 infected workers were identified at once, and the acceptance of new patients was temporarily suspended. While Kalush recently closed a maternity hospital because the test showed a positive result for 14 employees.

The Ministry of Health ensures that all cases are monitored.

“We are analyzing each case of the disease in which hospital, under what conditions,” said the health minister. Maxim Stepanov during a briefing on Thursday. He also assured that the provision of protective equipment is improving daily.

In Italy, 10% of all infected people are medical personnel, while in Ukraine this figure is 19%. In the context of the shortage of medical personnel, this situation not only seems disappointing but even dangerous.

“They ate chocolate and they didn’t taste good”

Irina Ischuk She recently lost her husband, an anesthesiologist who was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. Both worked at Rivne Regional Hospital. It was there that the largest number of health workers fell ill: 42 of 67 (in the oblast).

Rivne nurse Irina Ischuk along with her husband Alexander, who recently died in a regional hospital

Rivne nurse Irina Ischuk along with her husband Alexander, who recently died in a regional hospital

At first, Irina’s husband Alexander became ill and later found pneumonia in her. At a regional hospital, coronavirus tests were negative, however, according to the woman, her husband was treated with COVID-19.

“They did everything possible and impossible. He was treated as a patient with suspected coronavirus. Even the position of the body on the abdomen was for better ventilation of the lungs, the doctors wore appropriate suits. But everyone understood that it was COVID-19, because even everyone was faking me, “says Irina.

A certificate that showed a negative result in the COVID-19 test in Irina

A certificate that showed a negative result in the COVID-19 test in Irina

The funeral was also carried out under protocol: the body was put in a bag and the number of attendees was reduced to a minimum.

Recently, a woman was transferred to an infectious hospital, where the first day of the test confirmed her coronavirus. Until then, the test results were negative.

A woman says hospital medical personnel violated anti-epidemiological measures. “Not all of them, but some girls had temperature, loss of smell, taste. Yes, I asked them, to which they replied: “I am drunk with paracetamol and I am leaving.” They still laughed that they ate chocolate and didn’t taste, “says Irina.

The head of the regional center of the Rivne region reported in a comment on “TSN” about the violation of security measures in the Rivne hospital Roman Safonov. “Due to serious violations of the anti-epidemic regime in the institution. Unfortunately, joint eating by staff was not prohibited, which significantly increased the spread of coronavirus infection, “he said.

The Ministry of Health encourages health professionals to comply with standards for the care of coronavirus, which are developed based on the basic guidelines of the WHO.

Are there sufficient safeguards?

Among the causes of high morbidity is a lack of personal protective equipment, says the president of the Free Union of Medical Workers of Ukraine. Oleg Panasenko: “The state did not provide physicians with special masks or costumes. Again, it fell on the shoulders of the volunteers. “

The Ministry of Health affirms that the protection of health workers is a priority of the department. The analytical panel of the Ministry stated that Ukrainian hospitals received personal protective equipment in 61.6%.

Hospitals are largely staffed by volunteers, however they still need to provide medical facilities with the necessary assistance all the time as the unique remedies are running out.

A workshop for the manufacture of protective masks for doctors has been launched in Kiev. Special protection is printed on 3D printers

A workshop for the manufacture of protective masks for doctors has been launched in Kiev. Special protection is printed on 3D printers

“In surgery, girls are already told to wash their costumes. When the epidemiologist approached us, she said that these costumes could not be washed under any circumstances, “says a doctor at the Vinnytsia Central Regional Clinical Hospital. She admits that if it were not for the volunteers, they would be left with nothing.

She asked that his name be withheld because she fears he may have trouble at work. According to her, she had already tried to talk about the lack of protection, but she was told to “say that we are fine.”

Doctors are evaluated like everyone else

Developed countries such as South Korea, Germany, and Iceland have been able to significantly slow the spread of infection through successful preventive methods. Germany, for example, performs around 50,000 tests a day, writes the Financial Times. And following the recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute, doctors should be tested first.

In Ukraine, doctors are testing the same algorithm as the rest, Health Minister Maxim Stepanov said in a briefing on April 17. However, due to the increasing incidence of infection by health personnel, the testing protocol may change.

We are currently reviewing once every five days for all COVID-19 healthcare providers.

“When the symptoms of coronavirus disease appear, a medical coronavirus test is performed immediately. However, due to the high level of morbidity among medical personnel, we are now considering the possibility of carrying out a test every five days for all medical professionals who work with COVID-19, ”emphasized the Minister.

Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, as well as if you have recently been abroad in high risk countries or have had contact with infected people. The Health Ministry also said it would evaluate anyone with pneumonia.

Some areas are already evaluating doctors. Head of the Rivne State Regional Administration Vitaliy Koval An advanced algorithm for evaluating physicians was announced on April 10.

“Such examinations will be carried out in three stages: doctors who have manifestations of acute respiratory diseases; physicians who are in close contact with COVID-19 patients; doctors who have contacted medical staff treating COVID-19 patients and family members of doctors who have symptoms of ARD, “Koval wrote on Facebook.

Mass testing continues at Ternopil. The head of the city administration reports on it. Sergey Nadal on Facebook “This week, 257 pediatricians and other medical personnel have been tested for coronaviruses. Results already known. COVID-19 has been detected and validated by a laboratory using seven PCR systems,” he said.

The Khmelnitsky region also tests the preventive measure. “We are constantly evaluating medical personnel, we have already performed almost 100 tests,” said the chief physician of the Khmelnytsky City Hospital for Infectious Diseases. Oksana Poddubna.

What to do when a test is rejected?

The temperature and cough were held by a radiologist at the Kiev Clinical Hospital # 14 Elena Mishchenko. The female laboratory technician contacted the patient with COVID-19, but the test showed a negative result. But when Elena’s health worsened, she was agitated.

“If I were not a healthcare worker, then I think I would have enough self-isolation. But I am a healthcare provider, and during the incubation period I went to work and was able to contact other medical personnel who could infect patients,” shares the doctor.

The management of the state medical institution advised consulting a family doctor. He did not reveal the prerequisites for the test. At the same time, the director of the private medical center where Elena works sent an emergency message to the Ministry of Health laboratory center.

“They called me and after the conversation I concluded that I could be a possible carrier of the virus,” says Elena.

Subsequently, his doctor performed two tests free of charge. The express test showed a negative result, and Helen’s PCR test results have not yet been received.

Rapid coronavirus test shows a negative result (illustration)

Rapid coronavirus test shows a negative result (illustration)

The Ministry of Health is called to report cases in which the tests have been denied and it has been assured that all of them undergo tests to detect symptoms.

If any of Ukraine’s citizens are unreasonably denied evidence, the Ministry of Health operates a hotline: 8 800 505 201

“If any of the citizens of Ukraine are unreasonably denied evidence, the Ministry of Health operates a hotline: 8 800 505 201. Each appeal was handled directly by the person who called by phone, the institution that rejected the test and the director. Department of Health of the relevant area. In each of the calls, appropriate decisions were made to avoid rejection of the tests, “said the Chief of Health Services, Deputy Minister of Health in a briefing on April 10. Viktor Lyashko.

On the hotline, operators confirmed that they record all cases. However, if the person has no symptoms or is not a contact person, they may not consider such appeals.

The Ministry of Health also allowed private hospitals to carry out tests. In turn, they should report on each case and report to regional public health institutions.



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