Recognizing fallen health workers in the battle against COVID-19 by Fardah

Jakarta, Aug 21, 2020  (ANTARA) - It is a tremendous loss when healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses, on the frontline in the battle against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) died while saving the lives of those infected with the ailment.

The governments had yet to release an official figure on the deaths of healthcare workers during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, several organizations have attempted to collect data from various sources, including news reports.

Amnesty International has collated and analyzed a wide range of available data showing that over three thousand health workers died after contracting COVID-19 in 79 countries, though the figure is likely to be a significant underestimate due to under-reporting, the NGO stated in June 2020.

According to Amnesty’s monitoring as of June, countries with the highest numbers of health worker deaths, included Russia, with the count reaching 545; while the number of those succumbing to the disease in the UK (England and Wales) touched 540, including 262 social care workers; 507 in the United States, 351 in Brazil, 248 in Mexico, 188 in Italy, 111 in Egypt, 91 in Iran, 82 in Ecuador, and 63 in Spain.

The International Council of Nurses (ICN), on its official website in June 2020, noted that of the three thousand fatalities globally, some 600 were nurses.

ICN implores governments to collect accurate data on nurse infections and deaths and act immediately to protect healthcare workers and save lives.

Worldwide, there is no systematic and standardized record of the number of nurses and other healthcare workers (HCWs), who have contracted the disease or died from it, according to ICN.

However, ICN’s analysis, based on data from National Nursing Associations, official figures, and media reports from a limited number of countries, indicates that over 230 thousand healthcare workers had contracted the disease.

According to data from Lost on the Frontline on August 11, 2020, a total of 922 healthcare workers in the US had succumbed to COVID-19.

The tally comprises doctors, nurses, and paramedics, as well as crucial health care support staff, such as hospital janitors, administrators, and nursing home workers, who have put their own lives at risk during the pandemic to help care for others.

Indonesia’s healthcare workers have also worked incessantly in the fight against the COVID-19 that has, so far, infected 143,043 people and killed 6,277 others in the country.

As per the Aug 1 data, at least 72 doctors had died of COVID-19 in Indonesia, Halik Malik, a spokesman of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI), remarked.

There are no official reports on the total number of health workers contracting COVID-19 or succumbing to the disease.

On Aug 13, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had bestowed the "Bintang Jasa" (Stars of Service) awards to honor 13 doctors and nine nurses, who died while fulfilling their duties to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This awards mark our deep sorrow (for the fallen health workers) and highest respect for all medical personnel, who are at the forefront in the fight of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia," presidential spokesman Fadjroel Rachman stated.

Of the 22 medical personnel, nine were honored with the Pratama (Primary) Star awards, while 13 were presented the Nararya (Glorified) Stars.

On Aug 8, 2020, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD had noted that the government was heedful of the health workers striving incessantly to handle the COVID-19 crisis.

For medical personnel, who died in the line of duty while delivering service to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, the government bestowed the Stars and offered compensation worth Rp300 million (some US$20,575) each.

The government has, so far, shown concern for health workers dealing with COVID-19 by providing monthly incentives to specialist doctors, general practitioners, and non-medical health workers, according to Mahfud MD.

Specialist doctors handling COVID-19 are offered monthly Rp15 million (some US$1,000); general practitioners, Rp10 million monthly; and non-medical health workers, Rp7.5 million per month.

In the meantime, on Aug 18, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto handed out cash compensation, emblematic of the state’s appreciation and respect, to the families of fallen healthcare workers.

"In accordance with President Joko Widodo’s directive, I was called upon to directly deliver the compensation to the families," the minister noted in a press release from the Ministry of Health.

Putranto expressed deep condolences to the fallen heroes and prayed that the families left behind were given the strength to tide through these difficult times.

The minister also expressed hope that the compensation would be beneficial to them.

"I really feel deeply saddened for their loss. I hope that the compensation from the president would be useful for the families of health workers, who had died. They are the health heroes of the nation and state," he emphasized.

The health minister thanked and lauded health workers for their dedication and services in handling the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.

Until August 11, 2020, the Ministry of Health had distributed Rp843 billion in incentives for health workers involved in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Incentives paid from the central government surpass Rp510 billion from the ceiling of Rp1.9 trillion and regional incentives of more than Rp333 billion from the ceiling of Rp3.7 trillion.

The government has allocated compensation worth Rp60 billion for some 200 health workers, who lost their lives while fulfilling their duties, according to the Health Ministry’s statement.

No amount of money could ever buy or compensate for the loss of lives, regardless of the profession. To doctors and nurses on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19, we owe you a great deal and are immensely grateful for your services, dedication, and hard work, so far. Please, be safe always!