In Colombia there are already 1,842 health professionals who have been infected with COVID-19. Of those, 1,591 have been recovered and 232 remain in isolation, according to figures from the National Institute of Health.
In the Atlantic, 65 Health professionals have tested positive for the new coronavirus for reasons associated with the service. Likewise, in Barranquilla 73 people from the health sector have been infected, of which 60 cases are associated with medical work.
The contagion has been one of the reasons that medical personnel have had to isolate themselves, leaving one more vacancy in hospitals.. However, this has not been the only reason that more personnel are required today in departments such as the Atlantic.
Governor Elsa Noguera said that they have had desertion of health personnel because they have also been infected.
“What we have had deficiency in is the medical personnel because it has been difficult for them to maintain themselves, there are personnel from different health areas who have been infected. (…) What is experienced inside each hospital is difficult due to the emotional issue, no matter how much experience they have, no one was prepared for this virus ”he indicated.
Noguera said that so far they have the necessary staff, however he recognized the defections and the tightness of the system.
In fact, Noguera said that in dialogue with her team they have thought that they might need support, as other departments such as Amazonas received it, from more health personnel.
“We look tight. The intermediate beds were enabled as ICU beds and that demands more medical personnel“He expressed.
In this sense, Dr. Nelly Beltrán, who is part of the Colombian Association of Critical Medicine and Intensive Care (AMCI), explained that Behind a ventilator, you need a nursing assistant, a nurse, a respiratory therapist, a general practitioner, and a specialist.
He said that in Barranquilla, there are currently 37 active intensivists and 10 remain at home due to COVID-19 infection and other diseases.
The professor at the Universidad del Norte, who is an internist, intensivist and epidemiologist, clarified that there is human talent, but that it has decreased for various reasons. Among those, she noted that. some do not aspire to open calls or do not accept jobs because they are not guaranteed to have the elements of personal protection.
Another reason for such a decrease, he explained, is because Many of the specialized medical personnel were sent home due to the pandemic: “When the expansion zone was made in hospitals, no surgeries or outpatient visits were scheduled.. There were people like pediatricians, gynecologists, a large number of specialists who are at home waiting for the quarantine to pass. ”
Given this, Dr. Beltrán proposed that a redistribution should be made. First, identifying all the personnel who are waiting for the quarantine to pass. Second, training them and enabling them, and third, guaranteeing all the protection with the biosafety elements.
“There must be coordination between the entire system, private and public, they cannot be divided”, support.
AMCI made available the multidisciplinary management course in intensive areas of the patient with COVID-19, which is free and lasts for eight consecutive hours.
The intensivist doctor said that through this they have advised medical teams from other departments, such as in Amazonas, where they were when the emergency by COVID-19 was exacerbated. Likewise, launched a toll-free line of specialized intensive care support for healthcare professionals in COVID-19 care. (018000113533 nationwide).
Juan José Márquez, president of the Caribbean Chapter of the Colombian Association of Internal Medicine, indicated, like Dr. Beltrán, that there have not been so many cases of desertion.
“There are quite a few isolates at home, who have had symptoms during their work. At least, at the specialist level there has been no dropout, perhaps in other areas. The case of the Soledad hospital was very popular, where many were forced to resign, after threats against Dr. Buelvas, ”said the internist.
However, he did specify that personnel are being required because new ICU beds are being enabled. “For example, in the Golden Gate there are beds, but staff will be required“, Indicated.
Dr. Márquez added that although the personnel in charge of the intensive care units continue to work, it has been more difficult to find receptiveness of general practitioners to the calls. “Many do not want to enter into contracts for fear of contagion; since they do not give them guarantee of the personal protection elements“He expressed.
On the other hand, he pointed out that the department does not have additional specialized personnel either.
Universities | 126 recent graduates
Dr. Salvador Rada Jiménez, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Unilibre, indicated that the dates of doctors’ degree were brought forward “so that there is a greater number of doctors and specialists at the service of the pandemic.” He noted that on June 19, the graduation was advanced to 57 doctors, and next July 17 will be the degrees of specialists.
Also Unisimon, on June 24, graduated 52 students from the Medicine program, 6 from the Pediatrics specialization and 11 from the Critical Medicine and Intensive Care specialization.
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