German Doctors Protest Lack Of PPE With Nudity

JAKARTA - As a protest action, a group of doctors in Germany posed naked. They protested that many doctors were short on personal protective equipment (PPE) in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The protest was carried out by a group of doctors calling themselves "Blanke Bedenken". The group said they felt they were at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 and stated their requests for PPE assistance that had been carried out for several months were ignored.

According to The Guardian, Wednesday, April 29, a general practitioner in the group, Ruben Bernau, told German media that he and his team were not provided with sufficient personal protective equipment to deal with the virus.

"Being naked is a symbol of how fragile we are without protection," he said.

Doctors pose as they practice, taking cover behind files, toilet rolls, medical equipment and prescription letters. Christian Rechtenwald, who also has a general practice, said the group was inspired by the actions of a doctor in France, Alain Colombié.

Colombie is photographed nude during practice to describe herself and her fellow doctors as bait in the fight against a pandemic that has reached 3 million worldwide.

Wir sind Ihre Hausärztinnen und Hausärzte. Um Sie sicher behandeln zu können, brauchen wir Schutzausrüstung. Wenn uns das Wenige, was wir haben ausgeht, dann sehen wir so aus: https://t.co/PfxrY6GBil

- Blanke Bedenken (@BlankeBedenken) April 21, 2020

Jana Husemann, another general practitioner, said that he will continue to treat patients who still need to receive examinations, even though their current situation is also at risk. For that, he needs the right PPE, he said.

One doctor said he was 'trained to sew wounds' and quipped, saying: Why do I now have to sew my own mask?

It's not that the doctors are silent and resigned. Many doctors in Germany have repeatedly asked for more PPE assistance since Germany's first cases of COVID-19 in late January.

Medical practices, clinics and nursing homes often ask for help with masks, goggles and gloves. Even though they have continued to ask for help, their needs are barely being met.

German companies that make protective clothing have also increased their production capacity but have been unable to keep up with demand. On its Twitter account, @BlankeBedenken, the protest group said Germany claims to have good resources in dealing with COVID-19.

"However, protective clothing, disinfectants and disposable masks are not available. Despite their (doctors) concerns about themselves and their patients being insufficiently protected from the virus, doctors and their teams across the country are still treating large numbers of people," Blanke said. Bedenken via an upload.

Medical staff have also reported theft of disinfectants and masks from hospitals and police believe it was carried out by an organized criminal gang. As a result, many hospitals have increased their safety.

The demand for PPE varies greatly from region to region. In Germany, the areas most frequently asked for masks were North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria as the areas most affected by COVID-19. Marc-Pierre Möll, Chief Executive of the German Medical Technology Association, called on the government to support increased production of structured domestic PPE.

"If such an organization is conducted politically and there are sufficient quantities for a reasonable price, there will be no difficulties," Möll told German media.