Kathmandu, April 7
Last week, when a 65-year-old woman from Baglung tested positive for COVID-19, she could not be immediately transported to Dhaulagiri Zonal Hospital, as the driver of the ambulance that was supposed to pick her had fled.
She was brought to the hospital only after another driver agreed to do so. “The first driver may have fled because of fear of contracting the disease,” said Sailendra BK Pokhrel, medical superintendent at Dhaulagiri Zonal Hospital.
Drivers are increasingly becoming wary of ferrying COVID-19 patients or people with symptoms akin to the disease, as they have not been given personal protective equipment.
“Due to lack of PPE, we have limited our services to Kathmandu and do not travel outside, as there is high risk of contracting the disease,” said Sanjay Tamang, an ambulance driver. “What is even more worrying is that patients and their relatives do not reveal the symptoms.
This exposes us to unknown risks as we have to come in close contact with them.”
Tamang has been given an N95 mask. “But we need safety gowns, goggles and gloves as well,” he said. “An insurance cover is also needed,” he added.
Around 11 per cent of patients that ambulances carry these days are suspected of having contracted coronavirus disease, according to Amit Joshi, chief operating officer at Nepal Ambulance Service.
“We ask for patients’ travel history and symptoms before ferrying the
Read the full story on The Himalayan Times
The post Ambulance drivers at risk of contracting COVID-19 appeared on Nepal123.com.
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