I started my COVID-19 duty on March 28th. Since then, I have seen numerous people losing their loved ones in front of my eyes. What's even more gut-wrenching is that we, as doctors, have to deliver that news to them.
I had to console an 18-year-old girl who lost her 23-year-old brother while her parents were admitted in the ICU, battling COVID-19. In another instance, I had to lie to a wife about her husband's death to prevent her from collapsing. It was not until she was discharged that she was told the truth about her husband. Imagine her reaction when she came to know that her husband was no more!
Our condition is like the cabin crew of a plane on the verge of a crash while the pilot is sleeping. Not only do I have to ensure the survival of my passenger with dwindling resources, but I also have to keep the plane from crashing.
As doctors, people consider that the fate of the patient rests on us. But without proper reinforcements, how are we supposed to do our job?
The shortage of resources that prevents us from doing our job are issues that need to be dealt with at a much higher level. It is saddening that even after we knew what the aftermath of the disease looked like, our healthcare facilities were not prepared to deal with the current health crisis.
But the government alone cannot be blamed for the situation. The general public should also be held equally responsible. We lowered our guards at a time when we should have been more vigilant.
We, as doctors, are doing as much as we can to help the situation. We are staying away from our families, putting the interest of our patients above anything else.
We have also started a telegram group with around sixty doctors, who are available for round-the-clock consultation. We are trying our best to prevent the situation from worsening, but it will only be helpful if the general people did their part to contain the disease. Stay at home, avoid gatherings and mask up when stepping out of the house.
To help people suffering from mild to moderate form of the disease and fighting this battle from home, I, along with a team of qualified doctors, run a telegram consultation group that gives free consultations to around 100 patients daily there 24*7."
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