Doctor Addresses Stigma Surrounding Covid-19 Patients
Translator
Ricky Mohammad Nugraha
Editor
Mahinda Arkyasa
Selasa, 29 Desember 2020 15:27 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Member of the Covid-19 task force tracing team Retno Asti Werdhani, expressed her concerns related to the dangerous situation that would arise once a Covid-19 patient provides false information and refused to cooperate. Retno argued that such conditions would fail to stop the next infection from happening.
"We all know that we will contact those who have been exposed to the virus," Retno said. "But the reality in the field is that due to stigma [attached to patients], makes them dishonest about their exposure to Covid-19 and would not cooperate in being monitored."
Retno explained that if matters are not handled quickly the effects can make a person detach themselves from society or being outcasted by society. Retno believed that this is mainly because of the lack of information the public has in viewing people exposed to Covid-19.
"The worrying thing is in the structure of organizations, [patients] would face potential layoff and there had even been a nurse ousted from her dorm room," said Retno.
