After the Covid-19 test was found positive in Manisa Saruhanlı State Hospital, including 17 doctors, nurses, caregivers and healthcare staff, the problems of health workers struggling at the front lines during the epidemic period and whether the necessary measures were sufficient in many hospitals came to the agenda.
Stating that the physical conditions of most of the district hospitals such as Saruhanlı State Hospital were not enough during the pandemic period, Manisa Medical Chamber President Duran stated that the measures were not sufficient especially in hospitals without a pandemic hospital.
“THERE ARE HOSPITALS THAT HAVE NOT ENOUGH PHYSICAL CONDITIONS”
The chairman of the chamber, Duran, said the following statements; “While there were pandemic hospitals, new hospitals were preferred and security and precaution levels were maximized. However, especially in district state hospitals without pandemic hospital, the measures were not sufficient.
Covid-19 patients are also taken care of in our hospitals without a pandemic hospital. This situation in Saruhanlı is the closest example. They provide outpatient services, and on the other hand, they provide Covid-19 patients. In other words, you serve the patient and non-patients in the same hospital. These problems are experienced especially in state hospitals in the districts.
You do not know what the patient is, you cannot take the necessary precautions. Covid-19 services were opened in hospitals with insufficient physical conditions and patient follow-up was performed. Therefore, measures need to be increased more. Covid-19 follow-up was not appropriate for all hospitals. It is not appropriate to follow up and hospitalize such patients in district hospitals. ”
Duran, stating that the most important deficiency in hospitals is education, argued that adequate training is not given to health personnel in district state hospitals and therefore increases the risk of virus spread among healthcare workers.
“COVİD-19 OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE SHOULD BE COUNTED”
Duran underlined that the most important problem of health workers in combating the epidemic is that the corona virus is not regarded as an occupational disease. Duran stated that the Ministry of Health should start working as soon as possible to count Covid-19 as an occupational disease, “We are in this disease. We wanted the virus to be considered an occupational disease for healthcare workers who have been struggling with the epidemic since the virus started. However, it was not accepted.
It is the health workers who fight this disease at the front line. Our healthcare professionals will inevitably catch this virus. In such a war, we want this disease to be accepted as an occupational disease and to arrange personal rights accordingly. Although it is said that the importance of health workers increased in this period, no study stating this importance was made. ”
Duran also stated that there was a wage injustice among healthcare workers during the pandemic period and stated that wage injustice among healthcare workers should be eliminated.
“INCREASE MEASURES IN ALL HOSPITALS”
Dr. CHP Manisa Province Board and health commission member Dr. Alkım Alkan said that the detection of corona virus among healthcare workers in Saruhanlı State Hospital is due to the inadequate measures required in district hospitals. Alkene; “In hospitals designated as pandemic hospital, outbreak measures are at the highest level. However, the necessary measures regarding the virus in public hospitals in districts such as Saruhanlı are not at a high level.
As if the medical staff working in these hospitals were left alone. We would like to emphasize the importance of taking precautions in all hospitals whether or not there is a pandemic hospital. Provision of protective equipment should be provided to all hospital personnel, not just doctor nurses, ” he said.
