I saw the wrapped-up bodies put into big container trucks with dozens others. I just sat down and started to bawl. It was not because of just losing a patient. It is because she died, and there were no family or friends to send her off. Container truck after truck are parked up, outside the hospital waiting for bodies. They fill up, move off and others move in. At the other side are lines of ambulances, flashing lights, with patients win critical need of attention, waiting to get in when we have no available beds.
That is the experience one nurse shared with me. She is one of the frontliners in one of the world’s hardest hit cities, in a country with one of the strongest. most equipped and competent health and hospital systems in the world.
It is but one of the experiences shared with me from friends and relatives who are serving, mindful that they could be the disease’s next victim; mindful that they are leaving families, friends and the comfort and safety of their homes and districts into the danger zone.
Their stories are not faceless, nameless statistics. The do not have time for the count of lives claimed and victims of COVID. They are witnesses to the quick and fatal impact of this virus. They are the face of courage amidst the despair. They are the hope to the last breath of patients and victims, families and loved ones.
The new WHO State of the World Nursing Report in this the international year of nursing spotlighting the value of nurses could not come at a more opportune time. We would take a detailed look at this report and its implications on us for the future.
The GloCal Reality Check
- The Americas is home to 30% of the world’s nurses, of whom 87% are female.
- The majority of health care workers are concentrated in just three countries, serving about 57% of the region’s total population.
- The three countries of the Americas that have most investments in nurses are Brazil, Canada and the United States.
- Even the best served are under strain.
- Since Brazil reported the first imported case in Latin America and the Caribbean on 26 February 2020, the virus spread to 48 countries and territories in the hemisphere within a month.
- By April, the Novel Corona Virus was across a large cross-section of countries and territories in the Americas.
- Its spread across the hemisphere is increasing tenfold, daily
- The United States, the country with the strongest health system in the region and the most nurses, is becoming stretched to serve the daily increase of victims with almost 90 percent of all the cases in the Americas. Sources: World Health Organisation/Pan American Health Organisation/
The new WHO State of the World Nursing Report in this the international year of nursing spotlighting the value of nurses could not come at a more opportune time.
The situation is more alarming for the underserved countries, and this is for across global communities.
Underserved underprivileged
This promises to entrench the distress of underserved, underprivileged communities.
More than 50 percent of the countries have three nurses for every 1,000 population.
And more than 25 percent have less than one nurse per thousand.
The Americas is home to 30% of the world’s nurses, of whom 87% are female. The majority of health care workers are concentrated in just three countries, serving about 57% of the region’s total population.
Beyond the statistics to people and communities
The crisis has called for renewed and increasing commitments of not just the already stretched health care providers, but for all of us.
It has threatened and disrupted food and health supplies and the availability of resources.
As has forced families and communities to retreat and isolate to be safe.
It has created an aligned infodemic – an information environment of panic, fakery and pandering at sensationalism.
This response is to address the above, and to mobilise to all be a part of relief efforts, not just for the immediate, but to also face the medium and long term challenges ahead.
Take the GloCal FEDs COVID Challenge
The GloCal FEDs COVID Challenge aims to empower families and communities to prepare for the on going onslaught and to grow resilience in the post-planet pandemic.
It’s GloCaL – Global Local Caribbean.
It focuses on FEDs – Our Family, Our Elders, Our Districts.
GloCal FEDs restores respect for elders and knowledge holders
It helps all identify and harness skills, talents, resources and opportunities.
It identifies opportunities for a more equitable planet from the COVID curse.
It is applicable to all ages, interests, sectors and communities.
It’s at home social distancing and quarantine safe activities for all.Pilot initiatives peer reviewed by National Geographic Educators.
Engage and Respect Elders
Among the most vulnerable groups are the elderly. Lets show appreciation and restore respect and value for their knowledge and struggles for survival. That’s why the First GloCaL FEDs Challenge is to gather and capture elderly knowledge while inviting youths and others engage with them, observing social distancing rules, so they would not feel isolated. Tune in to novel ways of doing this by utilising both traditional and new technological ways.
Subscribe to follow developments and get tips, templates and tools for this.
GloCal joins fight in Fact vs Fake News
Part of the GloCal FEDs COVID Challenge involves using smart technologies smarter. That includes using smart phones and social media smarter too. It also involves heightening the skills and talents of journalists to target attention for information where it is needed most, using their facilities and resources. It enhances guidelines for ethical and responsible reporting, that contributes to solutions, intelligent scientific and critical analyses.
Follow the GloCal Gallery of Fact vs Fake, Do’s and Dont’s to stay safe from COVID
Futuring the Planet Pandemic
We do not have to rely only on nurses and frontliners. Everyone can become a frontliner. Become essential and contribute to the GloCal Knowledge Bank of family and community resources, skills and talents that can refocus care and resepct for elders, engage youths and make districts more self sufficient.
Sign up and stay tuned for more.
I saw the wrapped-up bodies put into big container trucks with dozens others. I just sat down and started to bawl. It was not because of just losing a patient. It is because she died, and there were no family or friends to send her off. Container truck after truck are parked up, outside the hospital waiting for bodies. They fill up, move off and others move in. On the others ide, the ambulances are lined up, waiting to deliver more patients to overflowing wards
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