Assaults add to dangers for health workers

More than 600 incidents of violence, harassment or stigmatization against healthcare workers and patients in relation to COVID-19 have been recorded during the first six months of the pandemic, according to figures from a global initiative.

Health Care in Danger, or HCID, an initiative that aims at addressing the issue of violence against healthcare providers, documented 611 reported cases from Feb 1 to July 31.

According to the statistics, more than 20 percent of the incidents covered physical assaults, 15 percent related to fear-based discrimination, and 15 percent involved verbal assaults or threats.

The figures are based on firsthand accounts gathered by the International Committee of the Red Cross, or ICRC, data from other organizations monitoring healthcare incidents, and the tracking of news reports and social media across 40 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Near and Middle East regions.

However, such numbers reflect only the known incidents while the actual figure could be likely much higher, said the ICRC, which launched the HCID initiative.

The crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has put healthcare workers in harm's way at a time when they are needed the most, said Maciej Polkowski, the head of the initiative.

"This atmosphere of fear, which is often compounded by a lack of adequate personal protective equipment, is adding significant stress to their physical and mental health and that of their families," he said.

"These attacks have a devastating impact on access to and provision of healthcare when many health systems are overwhelmed."

Among the incidents, 67 percent targeted healthcare personnel, 22.5 percent targeted the wounded and sick (including suspected patients), and 5 percent were aimed at internally displaced persons or refugees.

Misinformation rife

In Colombia, residents obstructed ambulances from entering their town to screen for COVID-19 cases, and reviewed confidential medical charts and the names of staff and patients, the initiative said.

Meanwhile, the ICRC has called for governments and communities to address misinformation fueling these incidents, and to ensure healthcare professionals have a safe working environment.

Esperanza Martinez, the ICRC's head of health, said it was of paramount importance to disseminate accurate information regarding the modes of transmission and prevention of COVID-19 in order to protect healthcare staff, medical facilities and patients from violence.

"Fear of contracting the disease and the lack of basic knowledge concerning COVID-19 are often the underlying reasons behind violent acts against healthcare personnel and patients," Martinez said.

"Healthcare workers, patients or specific groups must not to be stigmatized or blamed for the presence or spread of the virus. We need to strengthen our collective sense of humanity."