These professionals join Covid fight with pride

Thiruvananthapuram: Dr Gowri, who was preparing for her higher studies, didn’t think twice before applying for a temporary post in corporation’s medical team for Covid management. “I was preparing for my PG at home when I got an opportunity to work with a government body in managing the pandemic. Being a medical professional, I felt it not right to sit at home and I really wanted to serve the society,” says Gowri, who is one among the young professionals who run the corporation’s medical team for Covid-19 management.
“In the present scenario, it would be difficult for the Covid-positive patients remaining in home isolation to meet the doctors in hospitals. This initiative of the city corporation will be beneficial to meet the concerns of such patients. And for patients staying alone, apart from medical support, they require mental support too,” says Gowri.
The emergency medical team which works 24 hours will visit the patients directly, in case of any emergency. Apart from these services they also help the elderly and those without smartphones in vaccination registration. “In different areas, we have rapid response teams that play a pivotal role in the functioning of this system. We are all set with ambulances with oxygen cylinders and bags with life-saving drugs to rush to the Covid patients. Even though some callers react in a harsh way, we understand that their reaction is an outcome of their fear and anxiety. We always remain patient with them. At the same time, it is glad to attend calls that express happiness and gratitude for our service,” said Thomas, one of the volunteers.
For each of them, every day is a learning experience; be it attending night calls seeking help or reviving a patient whose oxygen levels had dipped dangerously. “Every day I feel utmost pride and satisfaction to work with the city corporation’s Covid control room. Though some patients panic and require psychological support, they are unwilling to use the psychological on-call facility arranged by the government. We want to bring our system functioning with almost eight doctors, nurses, junior health inspectors (JHIs), and volunteers from various fields to reach out to as many needy people as possible,’‘ says Dr Anand, another young professional who was previously employed in a private hospital.
The control room is operated by the green army and other volunteers, and medical teams were constituted to check on the Covid-positive patients in home isolation. Anagha P hailing from Vithura, a JHI student of Public Health Training School, who is also a part of the team, said that her family was all support for her decision to volunteer for the team.