PUDUKOTTAI: Heroic tales of doctors at the fore of the global battle against COVID-19 has been at a rise. One such story is of a 26-year-old doctor, Arasa Priya, who stayed at the Pudukottai medical college hospital on COVID-19 duty for nearly a month.
When the Dean heard about this, he shifted her to the staff quarters.
A medical officer at a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Neerpalani, Dr Priya was posted to the Pudukkottai GH in November. When the COVID ward was opened at the GH, and when patients were admitted, the doctor chose to stay at duty doctor’s room itself.
“In the beginning, there were few patients at the isolation ward, just 20-30. I used to stay at the duty doctor’s room only, which is a floor above the ward. I stayed there as it was safe at that time,” said Dr Arasapriya.
With family in Madurai, and quarters at Neerpalani, the doctor found solace staying near the patients and taking care of them. Just a year into service, COVID has been a great experience for the doctor.
“My family is a little scared, but I am fine. It is our duty. When our chief and Dean work so hard, we can do it too. Our chief is in the hospital till evening daily, which is a great motivation. I have learnt to deal with patients. Some of them are difficult and have a lot of demands. We arrange for all their requirements,” added the doctor.
As she got used to the COVID ward, ICU duty was another challenge. Taking care of a critical patient takes it’s toll on the mind anyway, wearing PPE adds to it.
In the normal COVID wards, doctors go on rounds periodically and check up on patients but in ICU duty, doctors have to stay by the patient’s bedside for a long time.
“We have to wear PPE for longer durations during ICU duty. It’s difficult to be in the PPE beyond 3-4 hours. We get dehydrated. The ventilator and ICU setup is a little hard to handle,” says the doctor.
However, a patient’s encouraging call or ‘good job’ keeps the doctors buoyed. Dr.Arasa Priya was felicitated for her service with best COVID warrior award at Pudukkottai GH by the Dean and SP on Wednesday.