International Rights Group Amnesty International on Thursday said at least 7,000 health workers worldwide have died after being infected with the coronavirus.
Around 1,320 health workers have died in Mexico alone, the highest known figure for any country. with a population of 128.8 million, Mexico has officially registered more than 65,000 deaths from the coronavirus, out of a total of more than 860,000 worldwide.
The other countries with the highest estimated numbers of health workers who have died from COVID-19 include USA (1,077), UK (649), Brazil (634), Russia (631), India (573), South Africa (240), and Italy (188).
Amnesty International said the death toll is likely to be “a significant underestimate,” as deaths may not have been officially registered in many countries.
“Every health worker has the right to be safe at work, and it is a scandal that so many are paying the ultimate price,” said Steve Cockburn, head of economic and social justice at Amnesty International.
He said health workers are still dying at horrific rates in countries such as Mexico, Brazil and the USA, while the rapid spread of infections in South Africa and India show the need for all states to take action.
In several countries including India, Brazil and South Africa, health workers have complained about lack of personal protective equipment and poor working conditions, Amnesty International said.
“Throughout the pandemic governments have hailed health workers as heroes, but this rings hollow when so many workers are dying from a lack of basic protection,” Cockburn said.
In South Africa, the healthcare workers came out on the streets on Thursday to protest and have threatened to go on a strike if the government does not provide them with adequate resources and protective equipment to fight the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Cockburn urged an international cooperative effort to ensure that every healthcare worker has adequate protective equipment.
