'We are Vulnerable': Doctors Pose Naked to Protest Shortage of PPE in Germany amid Pandemic

Months into the coronavirus pandemic that has put the world in crisis, the lack of supply of personal protective equipment for health workers and doctors continues to remain a grave issue seemingly across the world. Health workers have nevertheless come out in several countries to protest against the apathy shown toward them by their governments.

In a recent incident, a group of German doctors posed naked to draw attention of authorities on the lack of PPE(s) supplied to them.

Calling their protest 'Blanke Bedenken' or Naked Qualms, the doctors said that the nudity is a symbol of the risk to their bodies and physical safety in the absence of the proper protective gears, according to The Guardian.

Drawing influence from a French doctor, Alain Colombié, who also posed naked after describing himself and his fellow doctors as “cannon fodder” in the fight against the pandemic, the German doctors posed behind toilet rolls, prescription blocks, medical tolls, files to make their point.

One of the general practitioners in the group said that they did not wish to cease their commitment towards their work and stop treating patients. “Of course we want to continue treating patients who still need to receive a close examination. But for that we require proper PPE."

The doctors said that they have been repeatedly appealing to have more supply of PE since the virus hit Germany late January. However, their continuous requests have gone unheard by the authorities in charge.

Firms responsible for the production of these masks have been reportedly unable to meet the demands while medical practitioners, clinics, etc have been making their frequent requests to up the production as their "needs have been barely met".

A widespread theft of disinfectants and masks by organised criminal gangs from hospitals has also been reported

According to The Guardian, Marc-Pierre Möll, the chief executive of the German Medical Technology Association, has asked the government to support a structured increase in domestic production.

Germany has reported more than 1.5 lacs of positive coronavirus cases with a total death of more than 6000.