India Among Nations With Highest Deaths of COVID Workers: Amnesty

Amnesty said at least 7,000 healthcare workers have died due to COVID-19 around the world.

Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: PTI)

India is among the nations with the highest number of deaths of COVID-19 healthcare workers, according to a study done by Amnesty.

The international NGO said at least 7,000 healthcare workers have died due to the pandemic across the world with Mexico (1,320) leading in the number of casualties, followed by the United States (1,077 deaths), the United Kingdom (649 deaths), Brazil (634 deaths), Russia (631 deaths) and India (573 deaths).

Even these figures are likely a “significant underestimate”, as many countries may not have accurately registered deaths, Amnesty said.

Steve Cockburn, Head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty International said:

“For over seven thousand people to die while trying to save others is a crisis on a staggering scale. Every health worker has the right to be safe at work, and it is a scandal that so many are paying the ultimate price.”

In India, health workers have been raising alarms about safety and not getting proper equipment. On Thursday, the Health Ministry said the positivity rate for coronavirus among healthcare workers in three states – Telangana, Maharashtra, and Delhi – is double or more than the rate in general population.

In August, hundreds of thousands of community health workers (ASHA workers) went on strike to demand adequate PPE, better pay and just and favourable conditions of work.