Ignacio Ortelli
04/24/2020 - 17:04
- Clarín.com
- Politics
If there was already concern in the government about the abrupt increase in the number of coronavirus-infected doctors and nurses, the case of the seven workers - who could be eight more in the next few hours - from the Paroissien de La Matanza Hospital who were infected by sharing a Lunch finished turning on the alarm. And now Casa Rosada is analyzing the imposition of a "stricter" action and prevention protocol for health personnel to comply while the pandemic lasts.
This was confirmed to Clarín by senior sources from the Ministry of Health of the Nation, who announced that the idea is to unify a model of action throughout the country. "Although there are already action protocols in force, and each province can set work guidelines, the idea is to set a tougher one at the national level ," a front-line government official told Clarín .
The official concern lies in the fact that, despite the fact that Argentina seems to have flattened the curve of those infected , there were many more cases among health personnel than expected . As revealed by the World Health Organization, based on a survey carried out weeks ago, Argentina registers 14 percent of infected doctors out of the total, a percentage higher than the average of 10% . Hence, the Minister of Health, Ginés González García; he asked his team in which it is seconded by the Secretary of Access to Health, Carla Vizzotti ; to evaluate measures to modify this situation.
Although the subject was not discussed at the meeting that President Alberto Fernández held with health experts this Thursday, Dr. Angela Gentile, member of that advisory council and chief of Epidemiology at the Children's Hospital Ricardo Gutiérrez; He said he was aware of the official plan.
"The protection of the health team is very important . They are preparing more detailed and detailed regulations on how the protection of the health team must be, so that there is a baseline that is the same for the entire country," he said in dialogue with Radio Rivadavia. .
Two other specialists assured Clarín that they had been consulted about it by Health officials.
At the same time, Gentile stated that health personnel must keep up with this new scenario generated by the pandemic. "Not only on the subject of contact with the patient, (the doctors) we have to learn a lot about what distancing is : as it changed the community, this changed the way the health team handled us," he admitted.
The argument they give from the Ministry of Health to defend the intention to establish a protocol is similar.
Days ago, González García had already expressed his concern about the growth of positive cases among doctors, noting that "very few" had been the product of a direct transmission of patients with COVID-19.
"This has to do with the fact that the clothes were not used correctly, the clothes were not removed correctly, or many of them went to work with a fever . We have to be less omnipotent and understand that if we have a symptom, the first thing we have to do it is not going to a place where we can infect a lot of people ”, he questioned.
That phrase earned him a harsh response from the Federation of Trade Unions of Health Professionals of the Argentine Republic (Fesprosa), which pointed to the lack of supplies. "Are you aware that all the infected had protective equipment available in a timely manner? Are you aware that the nurses who went to work with fever were not pressured by employers? Are you aware that preventive tests were carried out to detect asymptomatic cases or temperature control? Are you aware that all professionals received adequate training in the use of Personal Protective Equipment? Are you aware that the Ministry of Health of the Nation and the provinces exercised the power of the health police to control compliance with protocols in private clinics? Do you know the reality of multi-employment wages and job insecurity among health workers? "asked the head of the union, María Fernanda Boriotti.
However, after the case of the 30 people who work at the Paroissien Hospital in La Matanza and became infected by sharing an Easter lunch with an asymptomatic patient, the Government decided to advance in the design of a new protocol. "All Argentines are making a huge effort to guarantee supplies and provide professionals with everything they need to face this pandemic, the idea is that greater precautions be taken and care for everyone," reasoned a senior government source, that put as antecedent what happened in Chaco, where a dozen health professionals infected each other at the Perrando de Resistencia Hospital.