PATNA: ‘Medicine is not a profession to me but a god-send opportunity to serve people’, said Dr. Rajiva Ranjan who continued practising at his clinic throughout the lockdown period in the city.
Putting aside the suggestion of many of his family members or colleagues to stay at home, Dr. Ranjan walked out from his flat to open the clinic everyday.
“At those times, patients of non-Covid ailments were facing horrible times as most of the private medical establishments and clinics were closed for fear of getting infected with corona.
"I recalled the words of my mother when I graduated with MBBS degree from BHU - beta doctor ka kam 24 hours bimar ka jan bachana hai. Ye davik seva hai bhulna mat” (My son duty of a doctor is to save the life a patient. This is a divine service, never forget in). I still walk with on this motto,” he recalled.
Defining himself as a 'medical activist', Dr Ranjan said that serving patients during the lockdown was more important than getting confined at home in fear.
Dr. Ranjan not only continued providing medical services to the patients at his clinic during the lockdown but also visited the homes of several patients upon knowing about their immovable conditions.
“No doubt, during that period of lockdown, the number of patients at the clinic was not so high because of transportation problems. But I never hesitated to visit the houses of patients when I knew that they are facing the problem of transportation to come to the clinic”, he said, adding that he also provided telemedical counselling on the basis of common symptoms of diseases from the house.
“I also ensured the doorstep delivery of medicines from the pharmacy near my clinic. The people battling with Covid-19 need a humane approach along with medicine. A strong and positive feeling created by a doctor proves to be more impactful than medicine”, he said.
He said that people during the pandemic or epidemic need more confidence-building counselling. “I advised all the patients who visited my clinic at Boring canal road during the lockdown to avoid carbohydrates as it weakens the immunity. Thereafter, I told them and still advise patients to increase the intake of Vitamin C from natural resources such as fruits and zinc from fully-boiled eggs and milk”.
According to a rough count, Dr Ranjan provided medical services to more than 600-800 patents during the first and second phases of lockdown.