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Ethical Dilemma: An Unprecedented Strike by Health care Workers in Early February 2020 in Hong Kong
Author(s) -
Cheng Fung Kei
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
public health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.471
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1525-1446
pISSN - 0737-1209
DOI - 10.1111/phn.12869
Subject(s) - beneficence , public health , health care , autonomy , economic justice , nursing , mainland china , government (linguistics) , medicine , dilemma , political science , public relations , law , china , linguistics , philosophy , epistemology
Urging the government to exercise a complete border closure to inhibit the spread of the novel coronavirus from Mainland China, about 8,000 health care workers participated in a 5‐day strike in early February 2020 in Hong Kong. Despite gaining 61% support from the public, dissenters criticised that the participants violated professional ethics and abandoned their accountabilities, which led to moral distress. However, the participants were guided by the four fundamental medical principles (autonomy, beneficence, non‐maleficence, and justice) for public interest and health equity. Their concerns for occupational safety should not be ignored to maintain an effective health care system. In short, the strike adopted a bottom‐up initiative and adhered to a public‐centered perspective and community‐driven ethical behaviors, through which the participants deliberated over professionalism, humanism and the imminence of public health, and the balance between them. Strikers showed care and concern for the safety of the community, sustainability of the health care system, and well‐being of all people in Hong Kong.