Some of them tend to the sick, some sit in dark rooms and read films, some never leave the operating room, some teach the saviors, some examine specimens all day long, and some are stuck with corpses for the rest of their lives.
People call them Gods, even when they are just fragile humans made of flesh and blood. They are deemed criminals when they fail to save a life, even when they do their job with utmost dedication. They are the doctors, and they are incredible. Going out of their comfort zones and leaving behind their personal lives, their fraternity has been a boon to humankind and the sole reason humanity has flourished.
The pandemic has especially shown us that doctors are the most vital component of an economy and that the medical sector needs to get the utmost importance. Imagine the state of the world in this crisis if there were no doctors. With this, the doctors have had a hard time battling the virus with all their strength and intellect, and for that, we are forever indebted to them.
National Doctors’ Day is celebrated on July 1 all across India to honor the legendary physician and the second Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. He was born on July 1, 1882, and died on the same date in 1962 at the age of 80.
On this occasion, LifeBeyondNumbers got in touch with doctors across the country to learn about their struggle through the pandemic and what it cost them to keep us healthy and alive.
Dr. Anuj, Assistant Professor of Medicine, HBT Medical College, and Dr. R N Cooper Municipal General Hospital, Mumbai provides a detailed testimony of the battles that he and his staff fought in these two COVID waves.
“When the first wave came, it was very new to us. It was very difficult for us to wear the mask and PPE kits. The normal human interaction was hindered. We were sent away from home, living in hotels for 5-6 months. I might have met my family once or twice then. The first wave was very different from the second wave as in the latter; there were a large number of deaths and that to most the young people. Among my patients a father lost a son, a newly married couple of around 28 passed away. It is not just a statistical loss but the loss of family. It was really disheartening. Also, there was a contrast in patient and his kin’s behavior. Some had a lot of attendees whom we couldn’t allow, and some children didn’t even come to collect the bodies of their old parents. I used to get calls 24 * 7 attending emergency duties with very little rest. To be precise, the first wave took a toll on us physically, but the second wave shook us mentally”, shared Dr. Arpan.
The ICU and intensive care units, which include maintaining healthy oxygen levels in COVID patients became the most challenging of all amid the pandemic. Dr. Navneetha Krishnan, Professor of Anaesthesiology at Saveetha Medical College and Hospital Hospital explains how he handled the department in this testing period.
“We had to take care of sick COVID patients in the intensive care unit during the peak wave last year. We had to manage critical patients as even we were new to the disease and there was a change in protocol and modalities of management on a day-to-day basis. Soon we got used to it but losing patients in front of our eyes and feeling helpless, those moments were really heart-wrenching. Moreover, I was physically separated from my family as we had to stay alone after a COVID duty. The anxiety of getting infected pertained. Even though we were on COVID or non-COVID duty work, we still had the chance of acquiring the infection. Living with those apprehensions is quite a nightmare and I have had many sleepless nights. And then I got infected in Apr 2021 but soon recovered. Although they are predicting a third wave, there are two theories. Some predict an imminent 3rd wave but others say that the vaccine will protect from this delta plus variety also. I just hope we will come out of this soon”.
Dr. Surinder Singh Bisht, a Consultant Pediatrician who specializes in newborns, Swami Dayanand Hospital, New Delhi shed some light on the government strategies in the first and second waves and how they affected hospitals. He also speaks on all the chaos that earlier surrounded the vaccination of pregnant women and children.
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“During the first wave, all large hospitals were converted into COVID hospitals with a large number of beds. At that time, a lot of beds lay empty in those hospitals, and all the non-COVID cases were directed to hospitals like ours. So, the rush increased dramatically here. On average we used to get 25 delivery cases which increased to 50-60. Soon after in the second wave, a wing of our hospital got converted into COVID hospital. Things became even more difficult then. Controlling the ICUs was something that challenged us the most. And in my case, I had to look after pregnant mothers who contracted the virus. Keeping the mother and the baby safe was quite a task. And then when the vaccines came, pregnant women were left out. Soon the government changed the policy, but breastfeeding mothers were not allowed to take the vaccine. As a result, the mothers chose to risk their lives and not take the vaccine. This is not done. Also, regarding the children, our government is really tied up. We can’t really bring in Moderna, and Pfizer for our kids here for the lack of cold chain and other logistical issues. Now it all depends on how long researchers take to formulate a vaccine for the kids”.
That’s a lot. Ain’t it? But it’s all for the sake of humanity and we can’t deny, or disregard the fact that these superheroes in lab coats, now in PPE kits, are all that we are counting on to look forward to a healthier and better world.