ISLAMABAD - The Amnesty International (AI) South Aisa chapter on Monday urged the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) to impartially investigate attacks on healthcare workers performing duties in novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and provide them adequate personal protection equipment (PPE).
A letter written by the office of head of the AI South Aisia chapter to the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Dr. Zafar Mirza said that “Amnesty International urges you to promptly investigate any attacks or acts of violence against health workers in a through, independent and impartial manner, and perpetrators must be brought to account”.
“Make explicit a zero tolerance attitude to violence and discrimination against health workers may be at additional or specific risk due to their multiple and interesting identities and this should be factored into the response,” the letter said.
AI also asked the employers, whether public or private, to provide all health workers with adequate PPE to protect themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with international standards.
It also urged to immediately put in place protocols to ensure that managers of all facilities where health workers work conduct an analysis of what risks staff face regarding violence and put in place adequate security measures to address these threats.
It also calls to set-up systems to document any violent incidents, discrimination and/or stigmatization faced by health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage workers to report such incident promptly.
The head of the AI South Asia Chapter Omer Warraich asked SAPM on NHS Dr. Zafar Mirza that “I am writing to you out of extreme concerns for the lives and safety of health workers in Pakistan, who have played an extraordinary and critically important role in the response to the COVID-19 outbreak”.
“While everyone remains at risk of contracting COVID-19, health workers are particularly vulnerable as they are consistently and repeatedly exposed to the virus. As of 29 June 2020, official figures record at least 5367 health workers across Pakistan being infected with COVID-19, with 58 dead as a result. This is devastating tally,” said the letter.
The letter said that doctors, nurses, paramedics, ambulance drivers and other medical staff, who are helping people in the face of such imminent danger, risking their lives in corona pandemic.
“Amnesty International has recorded several instances of violence against health workers across Pakistan since April. Hospitals have been vandalized, many doctors have been attacked, and one was even shot by member of the Counter Terrorism Force,” the letter mentioned.
It also said that the Young Doctors Association says health workers are being attacked on a daily basis.
Most of the attacks against health workers have come either after they followed standard operating procedures for returning the body of a COVID-19 victim to their relatives.
“There have been several statements from ministers claiming that hospitals have the necessary resources, despite reports that hospitals have been forced to turn away even critical patients, given the shortage of bed, ventilators and other life saving equipment. This puts health workers in danger as people do not believe them when they say they do not have room for more patients,” the AI letter said.