The headlines scream about lack of oxygen, shortage of beds and manpower, disappearing medicines (read Remdesivir) and lack of coordination. The Government is criticised, the middlemen are blamed for black marketing and above all fingers are raised to the crumbling medical system. Complete mayhem in May.
Still despite deaths, people are recovering. The hospitals and the medical institutions are delivering. There are multiple write ups on the present and the future of the pandemic. Warnings are issued for Phase 3 (wonder when the phase 2 would end).
Amidst all this are the private players who own hospitals. Since decades they have been labelled as 4- or 5-star looters, money spinners and the guardians of the gates to heaven.
Well, well, well the world forgot that the owners of these medical centres are Human beings too. The undersigned is one of them. Some of us are trying to commit ourselves to delivering the best POSSIBLE healthcare that we possess.
The pandemic has stretched us to the maximum in all aspects be it infrastructure (oxygen supported beds, oxygen manifolds), doctors and paramedics and the commitment to deliver. The mortality is too high for comfort and it seems to go on and on. Our dreams are shattered. Let me steer you to the psyche behind this where not many have dared to look.
An ambitious doctor takes control of his profession and builds an infrastructure with all his savings, goodwill and resources and ends up with a good hospital. He is honoured over the years for his extraordinary contributions for healthcare by one and all including the state government. Life is fun and all seems rosy.
The pandemic strikes. The equation changes to somehow save lives under strange circumstances. The mortality is so high that in the same premises he sees dead bodies roll out every day. The high mortality lowers the morale of the leader and his troops and our shoulders droop down.
Every morning when the mortal remains of the same people who had reposed faith in you over the years are wheeled out draped in coffins of PPE material, you start to shiver. We cannot see eye to eye with the survivors. There is a complete GLOOM in the same hospital where there used to be smiles despite diseases.
There are canons to the right and to the left. The doctor himself has to lock himself up in the bathroom to shed his tears, must hide his pathetic state from his subordinates lest the team would be further demoralized. Is this why we ventured into healthcare?
The depression is killing with lack of sleep and the lockdown worsens your mental state as you can not hug your friends. The society is STILL finding faults with us and the killer tag is now in bolder letters. Not many realize the agony of a medical professional.
Still, against all odds we hang on and slowly we all learn about the pandemic, patients begin to report early. With early diagnosis and prompt treatment the morbidity and mortality come down. There are more healthy patients leaving the hospital than their mortal remains. The discharge certificates outnumber the death certificates. A new bond of faith and belief is reestablished. The doctor starts to smile and so does his team.
We are thankful to the far sightedness of the government to vaccinate the health care workers in priority otherwise more than half of our strength would have closed down
People take control of the pandemic. The masks are back and also the social distancing and hand washing. The lockdown is taken seriously. The looters and the killer tag are still there but only in whispers. The press is still non sympathetic as the anti-system write ups sell more.
Over the last three days, things have eased out. There are beds available and the treating team is more confident. But the doctors have suffered a psychological beating which may take years to come out. I personally thank some of my Psychiatrist friends and well-wishers who did call up as to how we are. These simple calls did bring out tears of joy and being cared for.
Just hang on and we can fight out this present situation. Have faith in your doctors and his team. They are your ONLY bet now besides DIVINE help. Look for the nearest vaccination centre and when your turn comes, please get both your shots. Stay safe, Secure.
(The author is a renowned surgeon and founder of Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi. The views expressed are his own)