"Healthcare Workers Worldwide Protest: 'No Weapons to Fight'"

US Nurses at 15 Hospitals in 6 States Demand Personal Protective Equipment

Wage Arrears Stirring in Mexico as Well

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spreads, protests by healthcare workers demanding medical equipment are increasing in the US and Latin America.

According to NBC on the 2nd (local time), nurses working at 15 hospitals across six states?California, Florida, Missouri, Texas, Nevada, and North Carolina?led by the National Nurses United (NNU), a US nurses' union, held protests that day.

They are nurses working for HCA Healthcare, the largest hospital operator chain in the US. On this day, they raised the slogan "Protect Nurses" and demanded that HCA provide personal protective equipment.

The NNU revealed, "There have been numerous reports of HCA nurses working without protective equipment," adding, "Not only were they instructed to reuse masks, but there were even guidelines telling nurses not to wear masks because patients were afraid of nurses wearing them."

The NNU further criticized, "If nurses get infected with COVID-19, no one is safe," and said, "It is immoral for HCA, the wealthiest hospital corporation in the US, to ignore the safety and health of nurses."

In Latin America, including Mexico and Colombia, protests continue due to severe shortages of medical equipment and poor working conditions for healthcare workers. According to Mexican daily El Universal and others, doctors and nurses at public medical institutions in more than five Mexican states held protests the previous day demanding medical equipment for COVID-19 treatment.

In Mexico, where confirmed COVID-19 cases have surpassed 1,000, infections and deaths among healthcare workers are also increasing. Reports indicate that three doctors working in public hospitals have died from COVID-19, including young doctors in their 30s and 40s. Among medical staff at the Mexican Social Security Institute hospitals, 39 have tested positive.

Additionally, in Bogot?, the capital of Colombia, doctors, nurses, and paramedics took to the streets pulling ambulances the previous day to protest wage arrears and poor working conditions.

Seidy Franco, a nursing assistant, told local Caracol Radio, "Our mission is to help others. But who helps us?" and added, "A hungry hero cannot work."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.