Challenges Faced by Health Care Professionals during COVID-19 Pandemic

Doctors are critical to a successful response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We argue that they have a duty to contribute to pandemic response because of their unique skills, but these skills vary among doctors, and their responsibilities are limited by competing rights. We conclude that, while doctors should be encouraged to satisfy the need for medical assistance in the event of a pandemic, those who make the sacrifices and put out the extra effort are owed reciprocal obligations. Doctors are also justified in opting out of specific responsibilities when reciprocal commitments are not satisfied. This implies the need to support adequate safety kits, protocols, and support for both physical and mental health of the health care professionals. They play crucial roles in diagnosis, containment, and treatment, and their willingness to treat despite heightened personal risks is critical to the success of a public health response. Putting retirees on the front line may generate a net harm rather than a net benefit. Front line staff has been dealing with a high volume of work, personal risk, and societal pressure to satisfy unprecedented healthcare needs. Despite this, the preservation of doctors’ rights has received little emphasis in traditional public health ethics. Doctors must be considered in the context of rich lives with various competing demands, both ethically and pragmatically.