In The Line Of Fire

With a broken supply chain and inadequate stocks, health care workers face an acute shortage of protective gear and the risk of contracting coronavirus

- Pranit Sarda

The shortage of PPE for health care workers is a global issue. In India, they have had to use raincoats and scarves in the absence of masks

These are unprecedented times for those at the forefront of the battle against the coronavirus. A doctor at a government hospital in Kolkata laments the conditions in which health care personnel have to work during the pandemic. From using raincoats as personnel protective equipment (PPE) to being told to buy masks themselves at exorbitant rates, and from dealing with the fear of contracting the virus as they treat patients to facing social ostracisation, it has been an uphill task in these stressful times (See 'A Dispatch From A Hospital').

The acute shortage of PPE for health care workers is a global issue. Reports have emerged of extreme cases in India where nurses and health care workers were forced to use motorcycle helmets as protective clothing, while others are compelled to use scarves to cover their faces in the absence of masks. Doctors and health care workers in countries such as the US, Italy and Spain—some of the hardest hit by the pandemic—have protested against the lack of PPEs, taking to the streets and to social media.

With at least three health care workers succumbing to Covid19 in India, and at least 80 more testing positive as of April 12, the question remains as to whether they are being provided with adequate PPEs. Normally, PPEs are used in hospitals for surgeries and for treating infectious diseases. But now they are a necessity for all heath care workers, including those who are conducting door-to-door checks for people with symptoms of Covid-19 infection.