Tirupati: Healthcare workers are at high risk of catching Covid-19

Tirupati: More than 6,000 ANMs and Asha workers (female nurses) in the district are discharging duties in remote villages and towns against deadly coronavirus. ANMs are regarded as the grass-root level workers in the health organisation pyramid and they are facing several practical problems at field level while discharging duties.

Geographically Chittoor district was located between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka state borders. In fact, ANMs and Asha workers are facing tough situation to move from one village to another as part of Covid-19 survey.

Previously they were going to villages by seven-seater autos or RTC buses as part of their duty. Now, the situation is different as the public transport network was came to a halt due to lockdown.

In the present situation, they were facing several hardships to visit villages for conducting Covid-19 survey and to find the suspected persons.

Another main problem of ANMs and health workers is non-cooperation from villagers as well as town residents. For example many persons had reached from Bengaluru or Chennai to native villages of district and they are not cooperating with health department workers during the survey fearing isolation. Even many persons are not revealing facts when they came to village and if they have any suspected symptoms like cough, cold and fever.

One more problem is the government has supplied normal disposable masks to field level health workers, which pose a threat to their lives. In the survey, they have to knock every door in village or town as part of collecting details from people and they don't know if the opposite person is in healthy condition or suffering from any illness. At least, the government should have provided N-95 masks and quality hand gloves for health department field staff.

As Tirupati city reported 6 corona positive cases, more than 450 ANMs and Asha workers are working round-the-clock in the field level without wearing hand gloves and safety masks in many colonies risking their lives.