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‘Our colleagues are dying, we need PPE now’

Health
Healthcare workers wearing personal protective equipment while caring for patients with coronavirus infection in the Indian state of Kerala.
Healthcare workers in Kerala are pictured wearing personal protective equipment.
Credit: Javed Anees/Wikicommons

‘On Thursday 16 April, we are protesting about the lack of PPE that still exists in some of our hospitals, community and social care services’, said Karen Reissmann, a health worker from Manchester.

‘As more deaths of health workers are announced each day, fear grows about coming to work. But also anger.’ 

‘The government had three months to prepare. They started with smaller stockpiles after deciding in 2013 to save money and store less. They delayed ordering. And they have a privatized and fragmented supply and logistics set-up, which delayed purchases and delivery once the pandemic was known.’

‘[We] have just not been able to get everything the NHS, carers and essential workers like bus drivers need.’

‘As we see our colleagues die, we have lost confidence in the government. We call on Matt Hancock, the minister responsible, to resign.’

The group cannot call demonstrations due to social distancing measures but will be encouraging health workers and their supporters to take videos, pictures and publish on Facebook, Twitter using #PPENow #SaveOurCarers #HancockMustGo 

They are calling for people to support them by doing the same.

 

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