The non-governmental organization Amnesty International estimates that at least 7,000 healthcare workers have died worldwide following an infection with Covid-19. Unreliable figures since the methods of calculation differ greatly from one country to another but which throws a harsh light on those forgotten on the front line.
- Amnesty International has counted at least 7,000 deaths of healthcare workers worldwide. A figure certainly underestimated due to statistical differences and sometimes the absence of a census.
- According to the declarations of the countries, Mexico would be the most affected by this phenomenon, followed by the United States and the United Kingdom.
There would have been at least 7,000 caregivers who would have died of Covid-19 worldwide. Data to be handled with care since, admittedly, of Amnesty International, a non-governmental organization behind this figure, it is currently difficult to reliably estimate the number of healthcare workers who have died worldwide from this new virus. The reason ? One “large number“countries would not identify all the cases as well as the diversity of definitions used by the different countries of what a health professional is, explains Amnesty International.
Therefore, the NGO assures that this figure is “probably greatly underestimated“, but describes, according to her, an alarming reality.”When more than seven thousand people die trying to save lives, we are faced with a crisis of phenomenal proportionssays Steve Cockburn, head of the Social and Economic Justice program at Amnesty International. Every person who works in healthcare has the right to be safe on the job, and it is outrageous that so many of them have lost their lives for doing their job.“
Mexico: country with the highest number of deceased healthcare workers
At the top of this macabre count, Mexico. This North American country alone has 1,320 healthcare workers who have died from Covid-19. It is closely followed by its neighbour, the United States, which officially counts 1,077 deaths. The United Kingdom holds third place with 649 dead, followed by Brazil which counts 634 and finally Russia which deplores 631 disappearances.
In its previous report, Amnesty International counted only 3,000 deaths in July. So in the space of a month, this figure doubled. Amnesty International believes that this may be due to better access to information but also to the spread of the virus. “Many months have passed since the start of the pandemic, and frightening numbers of healthcare workers continue to die in countries like Mexico, Brazil and the United States, and the rapid spread of the virus in South Africa and in India underlines the fact that all States must take the necessary measureswarns Steve Cockburn. It is essential that international cooperation be put in place so that all people working in the health sector receive adequate protective equipment that will allow them to continue to do their work, which is essential, without having to risk their lives.“Amnesty International is thinking in particular of the case of South Africa. In this country which declares 240 deaths of nursing staff, the NGO wants to support the protest movement of a union of caregivers and teachers who are asking for better, and more , protective equipment against Covid-19.
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