Primary Health Care: Open Access

Primary Health Care worker and COVID19 Pandemic Dont Forget to Protect Them

Viroj Wiwanitkit^{* *}Correspondence: Viroj Wiwanitkit, Honorary Professor, Dr D Y Patil University, Pune, India, Email:

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Introduction

COVID-19 is an important public health problem at present. This disease is caused by the new corona virus. Now it already causes the problem worldwide and becomes one of the most problematic pandemic in the history. This infection has a wide range of clinical spectrum, ranging from asymptomatic to deadly clinical presentations [1]. The control of this disease is a challenge. In any country, the disease control requires a good public health manipulation. The disease containment has to start from the primary care level. In fact, COV ID-19 has already been the problem in the community level worldwide. In the remote forestry area, the disease already occurs [2].

Health Care Workers and Pandemic

It is no doubt that the public health care worker has to play role in disease management [3-5]. To achieve successful disease containment, there must be the collaboration from the general population and the role of primary health care worker is confirmed. As noted by Lim and Wong, “It is important for health care systems worldwide to recognize the value of a strong coordinated response to this crisis from a primary health perspective [6].” The primary care unit in the community has to play role as the front line for disease management during the community outbreak. It is no doubt that there will be a rapid increased number of patients visiting to the primary care unit when the outbreak occurs.

During the outbreak, it is an actually hard for public health personnel. It is the time that the data is limited, facility is usually insufficient but there is a rapidly increasing magnitude of the problem. To successful practice during the crisis is a big challenge. It requires a good willing and the great professional proficiency to daily manage the patients. The quality of primary health care for managing the crisis is an important issue. Li et al. noted that “The following recommendations merit consideration: (1) enhancement of the quality of training for primary health care physicians, (2) establishment of performance accountability to incentivize high-quality and high-value care; (3) integration of clinical care with the basic public health services, and (4) strengthening of the coordination between primary health-care institutions and hospitals [7].”

Risk of Exposure for Health Care Worker

During the work, primary health care worker expose to the risk. In fact, the medical personnel is an important group that is earlier infected. To protect them is necessary. For primary health care, it is usually limited for tools for diagnosis and self-protection [8]. Primary health care worker has to carefully work according to occupation professional guidelines and highly aware of contact with contagious particles. It is necessary to support them. Supporting the protective equipment is necessary. However, it is an unbelievable situation that there are reports on some poor management by head of some primary care centers. The best example is a report on the case that the head of a primary health care center in a developing country order the medical personnel to expose to infectious event in order to promote the satisfactory [9]. In some cases, when a health care worker refuses to perform a work due to lack of protection and high risk of getting infection, in few cases lay off that worker/s also came in news. Such cases are really disappointing and reflect poor management and negligence towards the safety of health care workers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in the present COVID-19 crisis, the issue on occupational health of primary health care worker who is at the front line for managing the outbreak should be well managed. Along with physical management technical support like artificial intelligence and advanced instruments should also be explored for the safety of health care workers which eventually will improve services and efficiency of heath care system.

References

1. Tin, S. S. and Wiwanitkit, V. “Atypical Presentations of COVID-19.” Journal of Health Science and Medical Research, 38(2) (2020), 153-158.
2. Sriwijitalai, W. and Wiwanitkit, V. “COVID-19 in a remote village in a tropical forest-a note.” Rural Remote Health, 20(3) (2020), 6014.
3. Mungmungpuntipantip, R., Wiwanitkit, V. “COVID-19, family medicine, and primary care centers.” Malaysian Family Physician, 15(2) (2020), 58.
4. Mash, B. “Primary care management of the coronavirus (COVID-19).” South African Family Practice, 62(1) (2020), e1-e4.
5. Sarti, T. D., et al. “What is the role of Primary Health Care in the COVID-19 pandemic?” Epidemiologia e Serviços de Saúde, 29(2) (2020), e2020166.
6. Lim, W. H., and Wong, W. M. “COVID-19: Notes from the Front Line, Singapore's Primary Health Care Perspective.” Annals of Family Medicine, 18(3) (2020), 259-261.
7. Li, X., et al. “Quality of primary health care in China: challenges and recommendations.” The Lancet, 395(10239) (2020), 1802-1812.
8. Garg, S., et al. “Primary Health Care Facility Preparedness for Outpatient Service Provision during the COVID-19 Pandemic in India: Cross-Sectional Study.” JMIR Public Health Surveillance, 6(2) (2020), e19927.
9. Saithong, C. “COVID-19 outbreak, primary health care center and vision of local administrator of primary health care center.” Case Study And Case Reports, 10(2) (2020), 17-18.