Front-line doctors adapt Beatles classic
It started with a simple WhatsApp message calling for doctors to participate in a motivational music video to reassure South Africans in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A few days later, the video featuring 27 doctors from around the country lip-syncing to lyrics adapted from the Beatles’ hit, Hey Jude, has gone viral, with more than 20,000 views.
A week ago, Durban doctor Naseeba Kathrada sent out a WhatsApp message to colleagues around the country.
“I’ve been working on a few volunteer initiatives and after seven weeks of lockdown — so much uncertainty still and the price-gouging of personal protective gear, constantly changing protocols and social media bombardment of doom and gloom — I wanted to do something uplifting, something that would give hope to the doctors feeling the same as me and the public,” she said yesterday.
Kathrada decided to use the tune of the Beatles’ hit Hey Jude for their reworked song.
“It’s well known and easily recognisable and is known to bring people together with the ‘na na na na’ part — also I could easily adapt the lyrics to give a positive, pertinent and current message,” she said.
A local artist recorded the song with the new lyrics for the doctors to lip-sync.
One of the doctors, who wanted to be known as Dr M, edited the video.
“I helped with suggestions and ideas and she just came through with flying colours.
“The team who joined the group exceeded my expectations with their enthusiasm and support.
“We all had an absolute blast putting the video together — via a WhatsApp group only,” Kathrada said.
Durban doctor Mags Moodley, who participated in the video, said the Covid-19 doctors-on-call initiative was rolled out in the early stage of the pandemic in the country.
“We felt that we needed to be there for the public early on in the pandemic.
“We are all volunteers and our role is to complement the work the department of health is doing.
“The fact that we are on the ground and coal face as such gave us a much-needed advantage.
“We realised that early in the pandemic, fear, confusion and anxiety would show up.”
He said health-care workers worldwide were on the frontline and many of their colleagues had fallen in the line of duty.
“The global camaraderie and spirit of resilience felt by all of us worldwide is heartening,” Moodley said.
“Knowledge and public understanding of all aspects of Covid-19, passed on in a scientific and truthful way, is paramount in preventing spread of the infection, thus we felt we are in the ideal position to do so.”
He said the words of the song had been changed to “Hey you, don’t be afraid”, to reassure people that help was available in their time of need. —