During the coronavirus crisis, doctors and healthcare workers are giving absolutely everything in India’s fight against the epidemic which has claimed 488 lives in the country and lakhs of lives globally.
Without even caring about their lives, doctors are working all day without taking as rest to save people’s lives. There are absolutely no words to explain their dedication to work.
Dr S Jhansi is into her eighth month of pregnancy but instead of taking rest at home, she cares about patients as she travels almost 30 km daily to the remote Devupalli Public healthcare centre in Vizianagaram district to attend to the patients coming from over 30 villages.
“Since there are no private clinics in Devupalli and surrounding villages, people depend solely on the PHC. I have been working at the PHC for the last one-and-a-half years and people rely on the health services at this PHC,” Dr Jhansi said in a free-wheeling chat with TNIE.
Transport is a huge problem owing to the nationwide lockdown. However, she takes time to go on house visits even in the tribal villages in an attempt to check on patients, particularly pregnant women and possible coronavirus cases. She has also treated 10 patients with symptoms of COVID-19 at the PHC.
“We have shifted about 10 pregnant women to the PHC for delivery in the last 10 days,” she informs.
Besides deliveries, people who are suffering from BP, diabetes and other ailments come to the hospital frequently for treatment.
“There are about seven foreign returnees in the purview of the PHC under home quarantine who are being monitored strictly. While attending to persons visiting the hospital and visits to villages, I found COVID-19 symptoms in about 10 people and referred them to the district hospital for further COVID-19 tests. Luckily, they all tested negative,” Dr Jhansi reveals.
Though it was risky considering the fact that she is pregnant. However, she used mask amd wore gloves provided by the government. “I use mask and wear gloves supplied by the government. Similarly, I also clean hands regularly with sanitisers,” she said.
She also added that she maintains a safe distance from four quarantine centres in the Bondapalli mandal.
Dr Jhansi can take maternity leave as she entered into the third trimester but she made up her mind not to take leave. Despite having the option to take maternity leave, she prefers to do her job in this crisis. Her husband by the name of Dr Prasanth is also a doctor who works at the Kodavelagala PHC in Nellimerla in the district.
“My husband supports me even in critical conditions like these. It is only because of his support that I am able to attend to my duties,” she says and adds after a pause: “In the present situation, people treat doctors as God. It is my duty to serve at this critical juncture.”
Before joining the Devupalli PHC, Dr Jhansi had earlier worked in a remote tribal area at Ramachodavaram in East Godavari district for six years. She did her MBBS from the NRI medical college in Mangalagiri in the year 2009. “As doctors, we have to treat patients under any circumstances and my wife is living up to the expectations,” her husband added.