Belarusian Physician: We Go to Trenches, While the Authorities Fight on Someone Else’s Side

There are two scenarios of the coronavirus epidemic in Belarus.

In Belarus, more and more physicians are getting sick and dying from coronavirus, but social statistics hide the number of medical workers who fall victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Charter97.org decided to learn about the real situation in the Belarusian medicine and talked to Alena Tsereshkova, a professional doctor and activist of the European Belarus civil campaign.

- Physicians, as well as ordinary people, are not insured against infection with coronavirus. We are not made of steel.

Besides, not all institutions have the necessary level of personal protective equipment (PPE). Unfortunately, patients and medical staff, who sometimes underestimate the situation, are not conscious enough about this disease.

The severity is that for a long time a person who potentially poses a threat to others does not know that he or she is ill. COVID-19 has a long incubation period. It's very difficult to adhere to sanitary standards for a long time. Especially if one gets an impression that there is no real danger. Unfortunately, this feeling is deceiving. Health workers also do not know whether they pose a threat to colleagues and patients.

There is a doctor who died of coronavirus. This is a known case. Illia Lemesa, an ultrasonographer, died. Unfortunately, I don't know the details. He was a good specialist and just a great person. We will remember him.

The number of infected and deceased doctors is constantly growing. The real figures are, of course, hidden by the authorities.

- What does the work of a Belarusian doctor look like during the coronavirus pandemic?

- More and more doctors of the therapeutic profile go to work directly with coronavirus patients. Hospitals are divided into "dirty" and "clean" zones. Doctors don't leave departments during the work. Everyone takes this very seriously.

Again, the COVID-19 incubation period is very long. None of us will remember what exactly happened two weeks ago. You won't remember whether you might meet someone being under-protected either. So now it's serious. Going to work, we go to the trenches, and the authorities fight on someone else's side.

- The statement "Stay home if you don't want to be intubated by a gynaecologist" became widely spread. What is the situation with the personnel in the Belarusian medicine?

- If a person is a potential carrier of the virus, he or she cannot continue to perform duties as a doctor or nurse. Therefore, in some places, the burden on doctors has significantly increased. This does not mean that "gynaecologists will intubate", but to monitor the patient, one needs to come up to him once more, ask him how he feels. Even if you don't do anything to him, monitoring his condition plays a great role. Therefore, the team will not include traumatologists or gynaecologists alone.

There is training in case the situation becomes critical so that doctors understand how to respond properly. So far, there is no disaster in this regard. We monitor, try to comply, hold consultations, render urgent assistance. It's hard.

Yes, many doctors had to retrain. As for work with patients, medical education is quite universal. Traumatologists, gynaecologists and therapists have a single program for the first five years. Only then the specialization begins. Therefore, one can understand what is happening now. The fact is that a physician dealt with other diagnoses during his daily practical life. However, all of us had to deal with cases beyond our specialization. However, we know where to seek consultation to deliver a specific and urgent solution.

- What is the situation with PPE in hospitals today?

- It differs in each hospital. I know that volunteers arrive. In our department, they wondered what we needed. We had everything then, so we tried not to waste their resources too much. It is good that people take on the responsibility and functions that the state should perform.

The situation is much worse in the regions, especially in district hospitals.

- How has the attitude to doctors changed during the epidemic?

- Some people always treated doctors with respect and considered them as their potential saviours, and those who thought doctors were "servants". Our authorities never cared about being fair to doctors. They exploited us.

The pandemic has only worsened the situation. We state that the authorities have once again acted rudely.

- What is your prediction of the situation with COVID-19 in Belarus?

- The situation in Belarus will develop according to the laws of epidemiology. There are two scenarios. It will happen regardless of the authorities' statements. If measures on isolation, the prohibition of mass events are taken, the number of cases will decrease. If this is not done, the situation will aggravate. There is no easy way out. Either conditions for isolation are created, or the infection spreads.

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