The Corona virus outbreak has perhaps been one of the biggest communication failures in the recent times, certainly the most damaged in the new millennium.
Right from the word go, the miscommunication from organizations like the World Health Organisation, China, where the deadly virus originated and subsequently the healthcare sector across the globe, have faltered in putting across the real issues and how to deal with the infection which has taken less than a year to spread to more than 200 countries in world. As the second wave threatens to takeover across Europe, the response of the institutions as well as people has been somewhat lackadaisical.
To begin with WHO took its time before declaring it a pandemic, possibly taking subtle cues from China, the country which provides the maximum financial support to the organisation in the absence of United States, which decided to withdraw its monetary assistance.
Thereafter, there have been confusions galore on how the virus was spreading. What perhaps is more tragic is a huge amount of misinformation was spreading across different social channels confounding and at the same time emboldening people to loosen barriers against the virus. So while there was a section which was spreading fear instead of caution, there was yet another barrage of messaging coming out of people who were likening the corona virus to the ordinary flu which has more or less been conquered. It may not have gone away completely, but certainly it is not alarmingly fatal. Co-morbid people are always susceptible to greater health and life risks. But by and large the world has survived the ordinary flu or what is known as Influenza A and B type, the latter a relatively severe form, but not that life threatening as its later cousins like Ebola, SARS or even for that matter the Dengue which infects people through mosquito bites.
Certainly, the pandemic today has created a global health crisis that has deeply impacted communication with patients and their relatives in all the care settings, given the need to maintain isolation and social distancing. To be highly effective, communication in medical encounters must capture the finer nuances of both verbal and nonverbal aspects. Both of these have been highly compromised in the COVID-19 situations regardless of cases being in places with high case loads or in reasonably contained areas. Relatives and friends of patients are suffering in unique ways as a result of adoptions in our communication.
There are two very clear aspects which need to be addressed in situations as serious as they are now. Dealing with emotions of patients and their close relatives and also providing information about diagnosis and prognosis. Even where verbal communication is compromised due to the adverse situation, there has to be some very effective non-verbal communication to ensure the comfort levels and patients and relatives. Empathy is of great significance for better healthcare outcomes as part of a warm and friendly communication style.
The relatives of critically ill patients are at increased risk of trauma, stress, anxiety and depression. Evidently, doctors and healthcare workers are facing new communication challenges that not faced before. Naturally this has generated extra apprehension, uncertainty, and fear.
There is no denying the acknowledging the fear, sadness, and anxiety of patients’ families given that they are isolated from the ones they love in life, often as they are dying. The importance of communication during this health emergency was visible in certain parts of the world. Messages were released on ways to communicate with families living in complete isolation. Communication had to be unequivocal, truthful, reasoned, and appropriate.
The humongous workload and emotional stress the pandemic is causing to health workers can compromise the health worker’s ability to act effectively and efficiently. So, even their mental and emotional balance must be considered and protected alongside families. Both are susceptible to breakdowns, hence need to viewed as priority after-care in the recovery process as the society strives to heal itself.
Subhash Mohanti
