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Friday, 29 March 2024

Latin American health workers face hostile treatment

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Latin American health workers face hostile treatment
Latin American health workers face hostile treatment

Across Latin America, health workers have endured public harassment and discrimination as members of the public fear that they could be potentially spreading the virus.

Gloria Tso reports.

Shoved to the ground, splashed with bleach, and attacked on buses and trains.

On top of the fear of catching the virus themselves, Latin American health workers fighting the battle against COVID-19 now fear getting publicly harassed for their work.

Colombian health professional Ivan Villalobos says the hostile treatment stems from widespread fear in the public that health workers may be spreading the virus themselves.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE COLOMBIAN SOCIETY OF REGIONAL PAEDIATRICS FROM VALLE, IVAN VILLALOBOS, SAYING: ''We as health personnel and as professionals in the health area understand what people think because what people are seeing, is born out of fear.

And it is the fear of the unknown and it is the fear of what has happened in other countries and in other latitudes.

It is the fear of disease, it is the fear of what we do not know and it is the fear of something that until now has no cure." In parts of Panama and Chile, drivers have even banned nurses from public transportation.

In Mexico, nurses and industry representatives believe many incidents of discrimination go unreported for fear of retaliation.

Medical staffer Marco Velazquez says he used to wear his uniform every day.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEDICAL STAFF AT MEXICO'S SOCIAL SECURITY INSTITUTE, MARCO VELAZQUEZ, SAYING: "Now I arrive dressed as a civilian.

I have to bring my clothes in my backpack.

It's happened at the Ethiopia metro station.

Two men wanted two colleagues to get off the train.'' In Argentina, some doctors said apartment administrators won't allow them to use elevators or common areas, out of concern they could infect their neighbors.

One sign seen by Reuters read "GET LOST, YOU ARE GOING TO INFECT US ALL." Despite being publicly lauded as heroes, Argentine doctor Alejandro Gutierrez says coming across messages like these are still deeply unsettling.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) 27-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT DOCTOR AT THE GENERAL SURGERY HOSPITAL, DR. ALEJANDRO GUTIERREZ, SAYING: "To see we are applauded at 9pm every day and then come across these messages, you find a double standard in the country that we obviously don't like, it makes you sad." Health workers like Villalobos are pleading with the public not to forget that they are deserving of respect and fair treatment.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE COLOMBIAN SOCIETY OF REGIONAL PAEDIATRICS FROM VALLE, IVAN VILLALOBOS, SAYING: "So just as we understand people with that fear, we also ask that people understand us because we are not the problem, we are part of the solution, we are the ones who are facing up to this circumstance and we are the ones who are trying to ensure this pandemic is not as aggressive."

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