Front Line Health Workers’ (FLWs) Perceptions and Opinions on their Personal Safety while Attending Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 Patients in Bangladesh

15, April 2020 | Bangladesh

Authors:

Abstract

HIGHLIGHTS: • 60 FLWs of various categories and levels from 14 districts and 43 ins�tu�ons par�cipated in the telephone survey; • The FLWs were unequivocal about the necessity of using PPEs for suspected/confirmed COVID-19 pa�ents since the country is in community transmission phase with asymptoma�c cases, and pa�ents are hiding facts; • The FLWs want proper protec�on (PPE and others) for handling pa�ents (suspected or confirmed) in preference to monetary incen�ves as declared by the Prime Minister; they also appeared scep�cal about its jus�fied distribu�on • Concerns for spreading the infec�on to family members is precipita�ng mental health problems for the FLWs which needs to be addressed urgently • Majority of the respondents were not happy about the role played by the different professionalassocia�ons; • The respondents had the consensus that this current chao�c situa�on could have been avoided if coordinated and focused ac�ons would have been taken in the lead �me since WHO ‘s declara�on of global health emergency • The respondents suggested to implement a 7/14 model (7 days of dut followed by 14 days of quaran�ne and rest to re-energize following the Wuhan experience) of roster and rota�on of FLWs • All types and levels of FLWs did not get the needed standard training on COVID-19 management and preven�on which is largely lacking • Country intensive and focused country wide IEC campaign on basics of the disease and preven�ve measures to allay anxiety, fear and s�gma; us of legal measures if and when necessary