Being a doctor, I was aware and scared of the possible outcomes!
Fear, panic, and hysteria are around us, but in this time, we have also known kindness, empathy and love. We have seen self-sacrifice, generosity, innovation, and creativity.
Apart from the threat of illness and death, fear is perhaps the most virulent part of COVID-19. Fear that a stranger will infect us, that others will take all the supplies we need to survive, and that looking out for someone else will cause us to suffer.
As physicians and resident physicians, we took an oath to help the sick and suffering, even those who are distrustful or prejudiced against us. Every moment in the hospital, we put ourselves and the people we love at greater risk of contracting the virus, because this profession is more than work, it is a calling.
As a second wave of Covid-19 devastates India’s capital, even privileged people are struggling to access basic healthcare, oxygen, hospital beds, life saving medications like steroids, Remdesivir and Tocilizumab. At one point of time, even paracetamol is not available in the market, all because of hoarding of essential things and then do black marketing of those things, ugly truth, no drug regulatory authority working at this time, I can imagine how, hand to mouth daily wager got these drugs in black.
A crucial effect of this pandemic has been its’ impact on staff mental health. The high mortality rate, high disease transmission capacity, and the shortcomings of health systems have had a significant impact on the mental health of employees, and these effects are ongoing.
Still I can remember those calls, needing oxygen beds and ventilator supporting beds, when the capital is deprived of everything in this second wave and even we couldn’t gave or provide them, that moment is devastating for all of us, but we can manage anyhow.
Every wave of the disease may have the same or even exacerbated effects as stressor effects compound over time. While mitigation thorough flattening the curve and raising the line is the main strategy in the control of the pandemic , decreases in healthcare capacity due to poor mental health and frustrations of health care providers can cause significant problems, especially if and when resurgences occurs.
I humbly request my countrymen to follow “Covid Appropriate Behaviour” till we vaccinate our 70% of population.
In spite of doing so much for the patients, either in hospitals or on tele-communication, still violence against Doctors is on the rise, either physical or psychological abuse.
Hold on guy’s, day will come when we are all mask free, till then don’t lower your guard and help each other in this difficult times and there is very well saying “God help those, who help others”
Hope the day will come soon when everything is normal and we can breath without masks.
Dr Amarinder Singh Malhi
DM- Senior Resident,
Department of Cardiovascular Radiology and Endovascular Interventions,
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi- India
