TIRUCHY: As much respected, the medical community is also expected of many a things in tough times like now. Women, as leaders and professionals are proving their mettle by bringing lot of values to the table, across which sits the deadly virus. Labs, which were quiet places before the pandemic struck have transformed into epicentres of activities.
A group of women doctors leading the lab at KAPV Government Medical College have completed more than 1.7 lakh Covid-19 tests. The Head of Department and six assistant professors, post-graduates, and lab technicians have worked with great conviction since March. As the Covid testing at the VRDL (Virus Research and Diagnostic Lab) began on March 24, the initial few months were a learning curve for all of us in the team, said Dr K Lakshmi, HOD of the microbiology department.
Starting out with a single RT-PCR machine, the lab now boasts of many different types of machines. With one machine, processing even 100 samples a day was a challenge, said the doctors. Today, the lab is processing upto 2,000 samples per day. “We faced several challenges when we began. At that time, we had Dr Dhanapaul (HOD who retired a few months back) guided us. Dhanapaul and I, along with six assistant professors, would be at the laboratory till 2-3 am until the day’s samples were all processed.
We didn’t have enough staff as we ourselves were learning, so we couldn’t leave our juniors or lab technicians to do it,” said Dr Lakshmi. Each of the six assistant professors were assigned a role, like taking care of the consumables, equipment, checking samples, troubleshooting, etc. “Initially, we even had a short supply of viral transport medium, consumables and equipment. We had to learn operating the equipment after studying it.
If any machine would stop working, our hearts would stop. Then we had to make a video call to engineers in the middle of the night to fix the problem,” said Dr S Vanathi, assistant professor. The team suffered from inadequate workforce as house surgeons and others were asked to go home by the government. It was only in the later months that more staff were hired. Another major challenge for these doctors was to be there for their families. On a normal day, they would be home by 5 or 6 pm in the evening. In the starting 2-3 months, they would spend maximum hours working at the lab as they had to ensure error-free results.
"We have to take care of our family too. It was a very big stress for us. Every week, a lab technician or someone else in our team would test positive. We would all get affected by that. We still follow strict isolation at our homes," said Dr M Bhuvaneshwari, another assistant professor.
Most of the doctors say that they sent the old people living at their houses somewhere else to prevent them from getting infected. One doctor even sent her daughter to go live with her grandparents. The doctors also have to ensure that their children are engaged and studying as they are at home all the time now. It's been six months since these doctors have actually touched their children or seen their parents.
"Everything was a challenge and everyday was a challenge in the beginning. We faced new problems daily. It was like a tsunami. But we have learnt to face all problems. It's been a great learning for all of us," said Dr VKM Banu, assistant professor.
The doctors have gained expertise in testing for COVID now. Apart from testing, they have also trained technicians from other districts now.
"We didn't expect such a big wave initially. This pandemic hit us with maximum magnitude. Now, we know we can face any other problem due to this experience," said Dr R Lavanya, assistant professor.
Dr Lakshmi says their success is only because of teamwork. Like other doctors at the MGMGH in Tiruchy, no team member in the microbiology department says no for anything, she says.
"Everybody was forthcoming. No one was scared. Every member in our team came forward since day 1 and has not said no to anything. Everybody takes responsibility and it has helped us overcome every challenge," she adds.