Our Tribute to the unsung heroes...
The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 220 countries and territories worldwide. The figures and data shown in the pictures is from - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries, Last updated: May 18, 2021, 06:23 GMT.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is highly infectious, is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is believed that the disease was first seen in Wuhan, Hubei, China where its outbreak was first identified in December 2019.
This virus has caused a lot of havoc in our lives, with people across India and around the globe largely confined to their homes and businesses and educational institutions all shut down in an attempt to contain the virus.
The first wave in India was still manageable but the second wave is highly deadly and has affected many Indian states like Maharashtra, Delhi, NCR regions, Karnataka, Bihar etc. It is being said that the virus has mutated and become air borne and is quite infectious. The Delhi government and various other state governments announced imposition of a lockdown in the national capital amid second wave of COVID-19 cases in the countryfrom 10.00 pm on April 19 which still continues till May 24 2021.
It has impacted a lot of families who suddenly lost their near and dear ones...and left a lot of people ill with the virus, struggling for oxygen, medicines and basic healthcare infrastructure.
Amidst all this pandemonium, doctors, health-care workers, and medical staff members who are leading the battle against COVID-19 from the front, by putting their own lives at risk with selfless determination for the sake of saving lives, are truly our heroes in these challenging times.
The national registry of Indian Medical Association (IMA) shows that 747 doctors have died of Covid-19 as of April 2021. Dr Jayesh Lele, secretary general of IMA, told The Indian Express that according to their registry, the highest number of such deaths were from Tamil Nadu (89) and West Bengal (80).
This deadly virus has brought attention to the inadequacies in the health-care systems across the globe and added to this, the lack of knowledge to deal with the situation on such a massive scale and also shortage of face masks, shields, protective gear - personal protection equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers, oxygen, medicines, hospital beds etc makes us appreciate the contribution of doctors and health-care workers, who have been risking their lives and the lives of their family members, to control the spread of the virus and to save all of us.
We feel the extraordinary sacrifices of these unsung heroes should not go unnoticed and therefore here we bring to you all the stories of these unknown doctors and healthcare workers:
Dr Simon Hercules
Dr Simon started the New Hope Medical Center in Kilpauk in Chennai and was a well known neurosurgeon in the city. He is remembered by hundreds of his patients whom he helped during his lifetime. The doctor, who had contracted the disease from patients he was treating, passed away at the Apollo Hospital in Vanagaram in Chennai on 19 April 2020. He was the first doctor in Tamil Nadu who died of COVID-19. what makes the story quite extraordinary is that, he was denied dignity in death, as people gathered in large numbers to prevent his burial, having a misconception that it could lead to spread of the virus.
One of his colleagues, Dr Pradeep somehow managed to finally lay the doctor to rest along with two ward boys and a policeman at 11 pm in the quiet of the night.
Dr Joginder Chaudhary
Dr Joginder Chaudhary (27), who was a junior resident in the casualty department at Baba Saheb Ambedkar (BSA) Hospital, fought a month-long battle with the virus, having tested positive on June 27, 2020. Son of a farmer, he hailed from Singoli in Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch district.
Joginder was initially under home quarantine, but was hospitalised after he developed breathing issues. As his condition kept deteriorating, he told his father to sell their land and arrange money because he felt he might recover at Ganga Ram. After a few days he was transferred from Lok Nayak hospital to Ganga Ram Hospital. His father, a 51-year-old farmer pleaded his case before the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, which finally bore the cost of the treatment.
There was improvement in Joginder’s condition around July 16, he asked for his phone and even texted his friends that his situation had improved, but after that his condition went downhill, and he succumbed to the disease after a month-long battle.
References:
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/747-doctors-died-of-covid-19-in-india-ima-7277087/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7350477/
https://yourstory.com/socialstory/2021/03/tribute-fallen-pandemic-heroes/amp
