Salman Sharif

By Salman Sharif and Faridah Amin

This chapter gives an insight into the psychological journey of the essential healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The catastrophe which started off with uncertainty, provoked fear-related behaviors among the frontline doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. With meager resources and lack of a disaster plan, fire-fighting was a reflex response of healthcare institutions. Though the whole world seemed to be unprepared for the calamity, developing countries with fragile healthcare systems were more vulnerable to collapse. The negative aura was complicated by mistrust among the general population, regarding healthcare workers, institutions and government. Furthermore, with economic downfall; balancing work and protecting the family was a challenge for HCWs, especially during the pandemic peak. The psychological distress translated to rising incidence of depression and anxiety among them. As institutions gained insight into psychosocial issues of HCWs; support and therapies were offered to them. Positive messages labelling HCWs as “Heroes of the Pandemic” were circulated and structured programs developed to address their needs. With the advent of COVID-19 vaccine, a ray of hope emerged, although there are still apprehensions about its efficacy and side-effects. The whole world now eagerly awaits the calamity to perish while normality can rise from ashes.

Part of the book: Anxiety, Uncertainty, and Resilience During the Pandemic Period

By Rabeeya Saeed, Salman Sharif and Faridah Amin

The beginning of the year 2020 marked the biggest pandemic of the twenty-first century. COVID-19 not only jeopardized the global health care system but also lead to unprecedented effects on every aspect of life. The tragedy evoked by the virus, resulted in disruption of face-to-face learning across the globe. The aftermath of this pandemic on medical education will be enormous and long-lasting. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to identify the challenges and threats facing medical education, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Comparative analysis of the innovative models adapted globally in post-COVID era will help countries learn from success stories. Amidst the uncertainty posed by the pandemic, there is a special prospect for medical education. Medical educationist and health policy makers may convert this crisis into opportunity through innovative strategies maximizing the outcome of e-learning. This is the time to relook medical curricula, redesign assessment, focus on standardization of e-learning and upgrade faculty development programs to produce doctors equipped and prepared to serve in the new era.

Part of the book: Psychosocial, Educational, and Economic Impacts of COVID-19