COVID-19 - Nagaland
Representative image: Medical staff with protective clothing are seen inside a ward specialised in receiving any person who may have been infected with coronavirus in Chennai January 29. (REUTERS/P. Ravikumar/File Photo)
Health workers in Nagaland are reportedly facing stigma and discrimination due to the nature of the work during the current COVID-19 lockdown
Atono Tsükrü Kense
Kohima | March 29
The COVID-19 pandemic has come down heavily on people all across the world. And in Nagaland, the efforts to combat a possible outbreak seem to be weighing heavily on frontline health workers (FLHWs) who face an increased risk of catching the disease because of the nature of their work.
Apart from the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment, N95 masks, gloves and sanitisers, the FLHWs have to face another daunting challenge –stigma and discrimination from fellow human beings.
Stigma and Discrimination
Confirming the stigma and discrimination of nurses, a nurse in a hospital in Dimapur said a nurse has been asked by her landlord to vacate her room if she continues to work in the hospital, and that many family members are dissuading the nurses the stop going to work.
Against this backdrop, it is evident that there is lack of awareness among the masses leading to stigma and discrimination. To this, the nurse viewed “people shouldn’t act like this” and that people should be sensitize more on COVID-19 so that healthworkers can render their services without pressure from other factors.
When enquired, a doctor asserted that this is not the right approach on the part of the public and that if people start treating medical personnel who will be at the forefront at this rate, he opined that a big hurdle is looming.
He assured the public not to panic stating that all precautionary measures and steps have been ensured to all the health workers in the event of any exigency that incase healthworkers on duty to tackle such cases will be kept on quarantine and rejoin their families only after ascertaining that they are free from the virus.
On being enquired on the preparedness of the state, he said if the need arise and there is influx of patients, the entire government hospitals across the state may be converted into COVID hospitals. He also informed that nurses and doctors from both private and government hospitals have been informed to be ready with whatever consequences that might arise.
The doctor further informed that extra officials have been detailed to cover hotspot areas in Dimapur, and that the government is taking all steps to ensure that the virus is contained.
