Sewri doctor who set off to chase the virus

With his able army of Covid warriors, |he conducted door-to-door surveys, held 50 fever camps & screened 30,000 people

At a time when the Covid-19 pandemic is at its peak and not many doctors are willingly coming forward to plunge into the thick of the battle, here is the story of a doctor who volunteered to help civic authorities control the spread of the virus in the slums of Sewri west. His quest brought him to the point where he had to relinquish the comforts of home and hearth and he willingly did so. It is largely due to his efforts and those of his able team that the spread of coronavirus in the area was controlled.

Surgeon Mahesh Yadav, 41, who has a clinic in Sewri west, had charted out his own plan to 'Chase the Virus', instead of waiting for people to come to him. His core team of ten and 50-odd Covid-19 warriors helped him carry out house-to-house surveys.

Yadav conducted as many as 50 fever camps in a span of 16 days, at Gopal Baug, Dabba Chawl, Vitthal Vinayak Sadan and other areas. People were subjected to thermal screening and checked for other coronavirus symptoms and he also checked their SpO2 (blood oxygen saturation) levels. "Those with symptoms were referred for testing, of whom around 64 tested positive. The rest were given medications such as hydroxychloroquine and Ayush syrup, apart from being asked to take precautions," he said.

As many as 30,000 people were covered by these camps. While he and his team were working on the ground, the civic authority provided them with the equipment and medicines they required.

"We did not stop there. After 16 days of rigorous camp sessions, we held follow-up camps.Our Covid warriors were a great help. They would conduct surveys for initial symptoms and also spread awareness about hygiene," said Yadav.

"We stressed on sanitisation of public toilets in the slums," he added.

"These efforts paid off, as the areas did not report a single case from June 1 to 19.However, a few tested positive later, as the lockdown was eased. However, most of them were from buildings," said a civic official.

Speaking to The Free Press Journal on Doctor's Day, Yadav explained how challenging the entire effort was. "We were working rigorously and very closely with patients. As many as 64 were tested positive during our camps. Some days later, my son complained of uneasiness. When I pointed this out to civic officials, they arranged for my stay at a hotel in Dadar. I have been away from my family for more than a month."

"At a time when most the clinics were closed, Dr Yadav came forward to help us. He and his team conducted house-to-house surveys and when not many people were ready to come forward and attend the camps, he made them understand the importance of doing so and they showed up," said Swapnaja Kshirsagar, assistant municipal commissioner, F/South ward.