'This Doctors' Day, I Wish for a Safe Work Environment for Us'

During the mayhem that followed the second wave of COVID-19, many of us doctors suffered mental breakdowns.

On Doctors' Day, Dr Suvrankar Datta, Junior Resident, at AIIMS, Delhi, reflects on COVID-19 and life in the time of pandemic.

(Photo Credit: The Quint/Kamran Akhtar)

Video Producer: Maaz Hasan

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj/Mohd. Irshad Alam

The past 15-16 months have not been easy for any of us, especially for healthcare workers and frontline personnel leading the country’s fight against the pandemic.

Did any of you ever imagine in 2019, that within a year, we would be living in a world where our regular lives will be transformed to the state that we are currently living in? No. Neither did we.

COVID has struck a huge blow to all of us. I am yet to find someone who has not lost a dear one in the pandemic, especially during the second wave.

There was a time, during the second wave, when there was absolute mayhem in Delhi. We were unsure whether even doctors would get a bed, if needed.

As the second wave peaked, a large number of resident doctors were assigned duties in COVID wards and more wards were created to cope with the rising number of cases.

Naturally, the hours of service were far more than what we had to work last year.

Many of us suffered mental breakdowns.

It has been such a stressful time that I have been unable to find a couple of minutes to speak to my family. Many of us have had to skip our meals because of the hectic work hours. But we got used to it. I have a few amazing friends and we ensured that we kept each other going in this difficult period.

I remember, a busy day at the COVID ward when a patient overheard me telling our nursing officer that I had forgotten to have my dinner. She quickly came and offered me a chocolate from her bag. I was wearing my PPE kit so could not eat it. But at that moment, all my exhaustion and fatigue disappeared. These are the moments, which we doctors strive to live for.

Back Home in Kolkata After 6 Months

Since the second wave abated a bit, I went to Kolkata to see my family after six months. I was able to spend four days at home.

I wish I could have extended my stay and spent some more time with my family. I think, we all deserve that. But not everyone gets that luxury. We have a lot of lives depending on us.

Happy Doctors' Day! Really?

Today, we are celebrating Doctors' Day. But do we really know what it means?

In the past few months, doctors and other healthcare workers have been at the receiving end of the anger and frustration of patients' families.

Sometimes, we fail to save a critical patient despite trying our best and we completely understand the grief the patient’s family goes through.

On 1 July, doctors all across the country are observing 'Swasthya Satyagraha' to demand a better healthcare system for all our countrymen. So, please have faith in us and stand with us. Because availability of quality and affordable healthcare is your right and a safe environment to work is ours.

(The author, Dr Suvrankar Datta, is a Junior Doctor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi)

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