Life is different for Monia Ruhil these days. A registered nurse at a hospital in western Sydney, Ms Ruhil is working extra hours, taking extra precautions with much less time for herself and her family.
“I have never seen such a situation in my life. We have to perform better with lesser resources while the expectations are high,” says Ms Ruhil.
Highlights:
- There have been 2,252 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia.
- Doctors, nurses and health workers are working long hours to manage the increased demand.
Dr Deepak Rai is a paediatrician at Westmead Children’s Hospital and also works as a consultant with the Health ministry. He says the impact is unprecedented.
“I think the crisis has affected every section of society," he says.
"Health workers are at the forefront, so the impact is severe and intense on their lives. People are working long hours. They are concerned about infecting themselves and others around them more than anyone else. We have to be extremely cautious so that we don’t become carriers of the virus to our family members and the members of society in general.”
There's also concern over a lack of resources.
Monia Ruhil says resources such as protective gear, masks and gloves are scarce that they have to be locked up.
Monia Ruhil. Source: Supplied
“The supply is so short that we are using lesser protection than the normal situation. Instructions for the use of protective gear have been revised. One can get things only after justifying the requirement,” Ms Monia told SBS Hindi.
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The families of health workers are equally affected. A mother of two, Ms Monia says she is spending less time with the kids. She has taken the decision to keep her children at home.
Listen to the conversations with Monia Ruhil:
LISTEN TO
Covid-19: A simple 'thank you' can go a long way, urge health workers
SBS Hindi
06:35
“My kids are at home for going to school is not a viable option. But, I am not able to spend enough time with them. Their expectations are different at this time,” she said.
Support for health workers worldwide is evident. Videos of people clapping for those at the frontlines of the fight against the pandemic have gone viral on the internet.
In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to clap and ring the bell to thank the health workers. In Italy and Spain, people sang and applauded from their windows.
Dr Deepak Rai Source: Supplied
Dr Deepak Rai says a 'thank you' can make a massive difference to the morale of the health workers.
“We understand that everybody is under a lot of pressure. Patients and their caretakers are also stressed. This affects their behaviour too, and sometimes things aggravate at hospitals. This affects the morale of the workers. We all have to understand that a simple thank you goes a long way.”
Australians must stay at least 1.5 metres away from other people. Indoors, there must be a density of no more than one person per four square metres of floor space.
If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor, don’t visit, or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, call 000
