Health workers at risk during covid
Ongoing pandemic Covid 19 has taken a lot of toll on the health of the world. Millions of daily cases to billion of overall death numbers are mere reflection of the fact that nobody remains safe from the menace in any part of the world. But what to say about those people who come in direct contact of virus every day. They are frontline health workers who are exposed to Covid-affected or prospective affected ones while testing, vaccinating and treating them.
Health workers during covid: What ILO report says?
A recent report released by International Labour Organisation (ILO) says the pandemic has taken lives of as many as 7,000 health workers so far. Also, 136 million health and social care workers are at risk of contracting the virus through their work. ILO published this report on April 28 to mark World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
Tools to ensure safety at workplaces
No workplace can be a safe-zone for workers in these times of crisis. However, managements must be open and flexible to take quick steps for safety of their employees. International Labour Standards (ILS) has come up with specific tools to address safety challenges and decline the risk of virus spread in the workplace, the ILO report says.
Social dialogue can be the best means in process of implementing safely norms in an organisation, the report concludes. ILS has summarized its safety guidance and tools in the above video. Not only that, ILO has also given tips on occupational safety and health for workplaces in another video.
United Nations and its agencies keep alarming the world about the potential threat to the health and lives of frontline workers during corona pandemic. Earlier in September last year World Health Organisation had also raised concerns over growing threats to frontliners in Corona times. The UN agency urged governments and health care leaders to take steps ensuring health and safety of workers and patients. However, causality numbers among health workers have mounted significantly since the Covid outbreak.