9. STROM STILL AROUND

Ruhi was not stabilizing yet. It was already a month or close to it that she was in the hospital.
The entire family, her parents and her brother were so worried for her.
I was literally scared that she would inch towards death!
Praying for her betterment along with necessary treatment was the only option.
That is what Doctors do right, its all in the hands of God after all our efforts.
I was driving back home and while I was in a busy traffic, mind got into the black hole of past.
(scene shifts ack to 2020)
Mishti and I were toiling hard on our bit with limited rest to give our best to reducing cases of Covid.
The only pain, or rather unhappy was that I was not back here in our motherland serving my people.
I called up Mishti to check on her and the condition back in the country.
“Hi Mishtoooo….
Wassup….?
I know it is not the right time to ask how you are. Both of us are in the same boat.
Cases are cumulating and increasing numerically as day passed by.
What started from zero to now being in few hundreds were now in thousands.
India was still in a better place in comparison to United States of America and United Kingdom.
Yes Misty, people back here are locked in their homes for four months on the record.
It was around the same time when Janata Curfew was passed in India that California becomes the first state to issue a state-wide stay at home order to its citizens.
People are going crazy staying back at home since such a long time that many hidden talents and social media have been flooded with pictures doing casual and random things as possible.
Uhmmm….
How is everything on the other end of the tunnel?”.
I was equally drained as Mishti and other doctors all across the world. Human nature!
But the zeal to serve and get rid of the virus remains forever.
Mishti spoke in her extempore, -
“Namaskara Sirjieeee….
Lol….
The whole world was looking at India as a potential harbour for the virus, but things definitely did not turn up a serious as other countries like United Kingdom and United States of America.
Many of the cases seen were asymptomatic.
So, the government has come up with a new protocol of Covid Care Centre. These institutions were declared all of a sudden with less or no proper planning.
We have always worried about the doctor-patient ratio in India and pandemic like this definitely becomes challenge and its unequal distribution.
I strongly feel that this ratio and discrimination should taper away with health care system being pyramid shaped with a greater number of paramedics at the base and doctors at apex.
However, in India it is dumbbell shaped where more group D and doctors on each end with nurses and technicians in the middle.
This imbalance usually takes a toll during such pandemics as these and make us aware of the importance of health care and its setup.
There were few reports too stating that there is no shortage of doctors in India.
But is the bias in disperse of doctors, nurses and other health allies with increased privatisation of medical education in urban areas and lack of facilities in rural areas.
Hence tackling the outbreak in densely populated areas had become greatest task.
Thus, COVID care centres have been born to cater to the needs of asymptomatic corona affected patients.
My friend, Dr. Mahesh Karthari, who has been doing post-graduation in dentistry in Bangalore, called me a few days ago.
We had thoughtful exchanges about how doctors and other health professionals have been tackling against all odds and battling this micro enemy to last inch across the globe.
People were name labelling us as ‘CORONA WARRIORS’, ‘FRONTLINE WORKERS’ or ‘SOLDIERS IN WHITE COAT’ and others.
They were told abruptly to report to duty in COVID Care Centres across Bangalore City where asymptomatic patients would be treated.
He was instructed to report to one of the centres where things were still in nascent stage.
There was shortage of Personal Protection Equipment, masks, face shields and others.
He also emphasised that in Spain about 14% of the health care workers were affected with COVID.
This could be majorly due to work overload, scarcity of medical equipments, hence stretching the staff thin and friable.
Right Golu?
Thus, they decided to attend patients on rotation in short working hours in shifts so that efficiency and efficacy is not compromised.
Because in case any of any doctor contracting the virus, there would be loss of head as they would have to undergo isolation and treatment for the disease.
Hence, self-protection plays a pivotal role in these cases. I also remember of you telling me a story of instance during a similar outbreak few years ago,
Here, heads of the departments had instructed interns and residents that they would not step out without protecting themselves with adequate safety.
This sudden outbreak had definitely caused burden on the government with production of PPEs, ventilators and other medical equipments.
Personal Protection Equipment which was curated for our safety had faced shortage for a while and we were wrapping in trash bin liners and wearing bike helmets.
Initially during the month of April, there was shortage of necessary medical facilities.
In contrary, now the nation was producing it in surplus such that they were even exporting it to neighbouring countries.
This increased the campaigning for #AtmaNirbharBharat.
Thanks to the proactive and dynamic government in association with hands on entrepreneurs.
He was also telling that, -
“These COVID care centres were structured to cater to asymptomatic COVID patients.
It was setup about in six places spread across the city.
There were about 8 floors in the dormitory and 10 doctors and 10 staff nurses with group D workers who were divided into 4 shifts, -
morning from 8am to 2pm, afternoon from 2pm to 8pm, then again, another shift from 8pm to early morning 2am, and last shift from 2am to 8am.
This work pattern was programmed to prevent contracting virus for a long time.
We were continuously monitoring patients’ vitals, like temperature, oxygen levels, blood pressure and others.
We had not taken mobile phones as it could act as a carrier of the virus into other areas.
Writing down most important numbers on a sheet stuck on one of the walls in dormitory so that it would be easier to communicate.
Running without breakfast in the morning as the designated doctors who were in early morning shift had become everyday routine.
The scars on our faces because of continuous working hours of 8 hours with N95 masks and face shields reminded of sacrifices entire doctor fraternity is making.”
By the time we finished our conversation, Golu, I was pulled into the flaws of our system.
“Also, this overall journey prompts us to stay strong, honest and persevere with our duties relentlessly. At least as of now I fell.
Hope we fight against this battle stalwartly and emerge victorious as soon as possible.”
As the conversation concluded, I was filled with pride and pompous regard towards India even though I was miles away, serving in another nation amidst familiar yet unfamiliar crowd.
Government had efficiently managed the health crisis, when there were criticism hounding that India being one of the densely populated countries with low economic infrastructure towards health care has been able to manage the situation of surge in viral outbreak effectively.
(scene shifts to 2030)
I was praying for Ruhi’s betterment. Along with this, Pihu also joined me and visited the hospital.
Pihu spoke to her. Played with her. I hope this would help her recover soon.
Hope for the best!