“Exhausted from the load, oxygen cylinders drags the doctor” — Belarusian doctors about the real extent of the epidemic
The Ministry of health of the Republic of Belarus have counted 4779 cases of infection with coronavirus and 42 deaths from it (although Alexander Lukashenko said that Belarus has no one from the coronavirus has died and die, and calls to be treated folk remedies). The health Ministry also reported 419 cases of HIV infected physicians. But, according to the information that one can obtain from the hospitals, these numbers may be understated. Civil activist Andrei Voynich, among other volunteers helping to cope with the epidemic, he learned from doctors from different regions, what’s actually the incidence of how the government manipulate the statistics and why the propaganda is killing people.
Doctors working for weeks without days off. Those with whom managed to communicate, do not believe the official statistics. According to them, many of the patients and deaths are on ordinary respiratory diseases and statistics on the coronavirus just don’t get, and many are treated at home. Fortunately, the government at least does not build obstacles to charities who collect money and provide professionals with a means of disinfection and personal protection. One of the volunteer groups, which itself buys and delivers all the necessary doctors, said through tears as she called the surgeon: “Bring, please, a shaving cream” — the doctors are not even able to leave the hospital. It is not only that someone is not allowed to leave the building because of the quarantine, but that they just don’t have time for this.
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A doctor from Vitebsk:
“We have a lot of patients. Filled medical facilities outside the city. Doctors and other medical staff had been in contact with the infected, is not isolated as there are no seats and no one will work. 15 April was a new order: to hospitalize only those patients with pneumonia, in whom the disease runs hard. The rest are treated at home. I have lots of friends who have sick relatives and friends with pneumonia. A bad situation in small towns Vitebsk region, Orsha, Vitebsk, Braslaw. Many panic and rush to the hospital from fear at the slightest sign of colds, which only aggravates the load. The accuracy of the tests according to our observations — 50%. Per 100 patients — 2-3 positive test, but clinical picture — really cases of 10 percent or more. The answers to the tests come in 7-10 days. How many unconfirmed cases? Better not to think about it. With whoever spoke in Vitebsk, all have contact with patients or affected relatives. I do not want to think about it. It seems that this is a dream, a virtual game”.
The first infection could occur when Russia was just beginning to close the border with China and some Chinese went to Russia through Belarus, which was then open. It lasted long, about ten days, but many of these Chinese nationals were staying in Minsk hotels, traveled by taxi. Doctors sent on duty in the airport — check the coming of the Chinese to measure their temperature, giving them one mask per team, so among the first infected could be one of those doctors. Among doctors, the proportion of cases large, but they are usually not diagnosed with the coronavirus, only SARS or pneumonia. While they are not allowed to take the test on COVID-19, do not give sick leave and forced to work.
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Employee dokshitski the Central regional hospital, Vitebsk region:
A very difficult situation. And the cases have become more complicated. Come — from oxygen, heavy ventilation. Told that the head of the local public utilities has received, he is about forty, but felled him. 130 people here in the hospital with pneumonia or COVID-19 now, at least. Took swabs of all the doctors and waiting for confirmation from the sanitary station. Of the doctors some people also lie in a serious condition. Colleagues who are directly involved in the results of oxygen cylinders, exhausted from the physical exertion. Well and nerves — every day to see it… 20 oxygen tanks for a day out. The staff — who quit, who went at his own expense, who is on vacation. People are not young, every family, afraid to catch. It got to the point that the physician and the chief medical officer wear these oxygen cylinders, fuss hotcast.
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People are outraged by the statements of Lukashenka. 50-year-old patient who had always led a healthy lifestyle, tells how disappointing it was to hear the words of Lukashenko about the fact that die only smokers and drug addicts. It has all the symptoms of coronavirus confirmed on the computer scan — “light frosted glass”, but the tests showed a negative result. If she dies, you too will not fall into coronavirus statistics.
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The doctor of the Gomel regional clinical hospital for infectious diseases:
To the regional hospital driven from Yelsk, Buda-Koshelevo, the October and Branches and district centers, and villages. The hospital is crowded, at least four doctors confirmed infection. Doctors nervous, in a panic. Unfortunately, very often the tests give a negative answer. In this computed tomography (CT) scan, doctors can see the affected lungs. But what’s worse, judging by conversations with the patients that come to us, they don’t even tell you whether they have lungs!
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In Gomel repurpose STI hospital under COVID sick, it looks like regional officials already operate independently, contrary to the bravado Lukashenko. And he scheduled a work day on April 25, at which it is impossible not to come — people blackmailed with dismissal and deprivation of premiums. Recently in Belarus came into force a new law on the payroll. And on January 1 physicians have received far less than they were promised. But even before the epidemic, the doctors complained that not enough money even for food. So the fines for them a serious threat.
A telephone message the chief doctor of Zhlobin Central regional hospital Eugene Topchego
In education, no one does, the TV talks about garlic, the fresh air, tractor, goats and vodka. No one says that we should stay home because to go out unsafe. Only people who have access to independent resources, self-respect quarantine, the others continue to walk together.
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Officer of the Brest regional hospital:
Our health resort “Belaya Vezha” is a ticking time bomb. Today two more were brought out in the pits in the ambulance. One of them is the head nurse of the sanatorium. 48 contacts was given by the priest, the parish which is under the Kamenetz. He is on the ventilator in a serious condition. His daughter works as a therapist in the Kamenetz district Central hospital. To date, led the reception. The second daughter lives in an apartment building. Disinfection at the entrance refused to hold as long as her test will not show a positive result. There is good news: the hospital finally received the anti-plague suits, gloves, masks.
Activists are trying to learn about the situation not only in cities but also in villages. But doctors often refuse to talk, afraid of the authorities. Perhaps, when they themselves are not enough of the ventilator, they will tell you what’s going on. But you will hear them then? The system is designed so that all institutions are “ideologues”, which give clear instructions on what you can do, and what not, they control the process of diagnosis, give instructions that the figures should not exceed a certain percentage. Coronavirus in Belarus is a political case, pretty hard to beat when on the side of the virus plays Alexander Lukashenko.
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