Pakistan’s young doctors lead Covid-19 battlel
For Dr Shobha Luxmi, life has completely changed since she was appointed head of an isolation ward for the coronavirus patients at the government-run Dow University of Health Sciences Hospital in Karachi.
She is one of thousands of medical professionals at the forefront of Pakistan’s battle against a formidable coronavirus outbreak, which has left millions under lockdown in the country. The challenge is all the more greater given the country’s weak public health system. Apart from the risk of contracting the virus from patients, the doctors, nurses, and other medical staff are also constantly dealing with a growing sense of anxiety and the exhaustion of their unending shifts. “My life has turned upside down over these past few weeks. I have almost been working round the clock. I just get a few hours of sleep, and even then I am thinking about the hospital,” Luxmi, 40, an expert at the Dow University of Health Sciences, told Anadolu Agency.
She receives hundreds of calls and emails each day, in addition to attending meetings, monitoring screenings of suspected patients, and treating patients who have tested positive. Her hospital is receiving about 500 patients every day, at least 100 of whom are screened for Covid-19, and four to five are testing positive on a daily basis.“Before this, I only had teaching and administrative duties. Now it seems the burden of the entire world is on my shoulders. I do not switch off my mobile phone for a minute because I know there may be an urgent call at any moment,” she said.
“I have had no time for my only daughter or her studies, my family, or my parents. My daughter has started complaining now; I have not cooked for her for over two weeks.” Dr Omer Sultan, 36, carefully donned his protective suit, face mask, gloves, and goggles in a changing room at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) in Karachi, one of the country’s largest medical facilities, before entering an isolation ward to check on suspected Covid-19 patients.
“Things have totally changed after the coronavirus outbreak. We were never this careful about our own safety. It really has become a nerve-wracking job,” Sultan, an office-bearer of the Young Doctors’ Association, told Anadolu Agency. “This is not just my story. Every doctor, nurse, paramedic, and even the security guards, are risking their lives to save others.”
He was full of praise for the nursing staff, especially the women who make up around 70per cent of the total strength, for being at the forefront of the battle against Covid-19. “They have done a tremendous job. They have been away from their homes and families to serve the nation. I, as a doctor, feel that these women have done a greater job than any of the men in this profession.” The dedication of these medical professionals is not lost on their fellow countrymen, as Pakistanis across the country will wave white flags from their rooftops and windows on March 27 to pay tribute to their selflessness and commitment.
“This is not a favour to anyone; this is our duty, and our time to serve our nation,” said Luxmi.