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A group of doctors working across different hospitals in Morocco said that they are worried about the shortage of medical supplies. They referred to preventive devices, such as FFP2 masks and protective suits that decrease the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus.
A medical source in Meknes told Yabiladi that the number of FFP2 masks «is not sufficient». «These masks are only handed over to health workers that deal with Covid-19 patients».
The same source reported that other medical teams do not receive these protective masks. «Other health workers who deal with different patients are not given these protective shields, which forces them to make use of their own resources to protect themselves while on duty», the same source added.
According to the same medical source, health workers dealing with other patients are «also exposed to risks of contagion as they don’t really know if the patients they provide care for are infected or not».
Shortage in medical supplies
The same is true for sanitizers, says the same source, insisting that «the limited quantities of these liquids are carefully distributed by the health authorities». The same source said that medical teams are in the need of trainings on the preventive precautions to take when dealing with this pandemic. «We were not prepared to face a pandemic of this size», he regretted.
For his part, one of the doctors working at the Casablanca University Hospital confirmed that there is a shortage in protective devices.
«Although I have not checked a possible Covid-19 case yet, we are at risk of contracting the virus, while examining patients who do not know whether they are infected or not», he added. «Especially since the symptoms of the virus do not appear in the early days», he insisted.
«I only have 3 FFP2 masks, and I try to sterilize them all by steaming them for 30 minutes», a process that scientific research has deemed effective.
For his part, one of the doctors working in the wing designated to receive people who might be infected with the coronavirus at a hospital in Casablanca, told Yabiladi that «although [they] are provided with FFP2 masks, given the limited number of cases we receive, [they] are trying to use [their] own means to make sure they are protected». «I tried to make face shields myself, I made ten, one for me, and the rest for some colleagues in the hospital», the doctor said.
Similarly, a medical source from a hospital in Marrakech said that «one of the ophthalmologists performed surgery using the regular medical mask», which poses a great danger to his safety and that of the medical staff working with him.
This was also confirmed by the medical source from the Meknes hospital, who said that «the greatest fear we have is to transmit the virus to health workers, which could be threatening to all of us». «The problem is that some cities have only one hospital», he argued.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned, Friday, that the severe shortage of protective equipment for health personnel facing the «Covid-19» epidemic is among the most urgent threats on the world today.
«The chronic global shortage of personal protective equipment has become among the most urgent threats to our common ability to save lives», said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Gabriusos. «When health workers are in danger, we are all in danger».
