Kashmir Despatch News
Srinagar, May 15 : As the number of cases of COVID-19 continue to mount in Kashmir valley, those on the front-lines of the battle carry on despite serious unresolved issues. Social health activists (ASHAs) from North Kashmir’s Sopore on Friday held a protest and accusing authorities of not providing them required safety gears and personal protection equipment (PPE) kits.
The protestors, while maintaining social distance, raised slogan against the health department for not fulfilling their demands.
The front-line medical workers complained shortage of basic protective gear while treating the COVID-19 patients which in turn puts their life at risk and also exposes them to the threat to being a potential carrier of the virus during interaction with the patients.
The protesting social health activists told Kashmir Despatch that we have to go out day and night to protect people from coronavirus. But while doing our work, we feel this virus will take our own lives, “What if we meet an infected person someday and the infection is transmitted to us? We are sent on the ground (by the health department) without any safety equipment. We use our own handkerchiefs as masks.
Meanwhile, Block Medical Officer (BMO) Sopore, Asif Khanday told this newspaper that we have framed a team of red zones and other affected areas in which 100 Asha workers are working and adequate kits have been provided to them. He said eveyone has been facilitated with the protective gears, he however said will still look into the matter those who are complaining will be taken care.
