New Normal: Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows

Strap: Gruelling schedules for city’s CHC anesthetists as they handle critical Covid cases

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 12

While the Civil Hospital here is among the best-equipped district government facilities with 18 ventilators, it has also been one of the busiest. In the scenario, the anesthetists have been the most important frontliners involved in tackling the Covid.

In the nine months of the pandemic wave a team of 12 has been involved in handling the most critical of patients – those who require ventilators. As many as 150 to 200 patients have required a ventilator, of whom, majority were put on non-invasive ventilators. Amidst the pandemic, a life marked by extreme protocols and isolation from family and a hectic schedule, has left little breathing space for these doctors.

Dr Paramjit, anesthetist, Civil Hospital Jalandhar, said, “At the hospital, we have been providing level-3 Covid care since day one. Our medical care is on par with the medical college facilities in the state. Since the first patient who died taking treatment on invasive ventilator, there has been no looking back.”

Of the 12 anesthetists, majority suffered from fever, cough or minor illnesses during the peak time of Covid. One of them also had bronchial asthma. Having braved all the odds, they stayed put amidst gruelling schedules.

The facility at present has 18 ventilators, four HFNCOs (High Flow Non-Invasive Cannula Oxygen Therapy) and six BiPap machines (used for facilitating breathing), Jalandhar has had a steady stream of critical patients needing ventilator care. As of now, five of the patients need invasive and non-invasive ventilators. The doctor added, “Earlier, we had ten. But the district administration provided us equipment whenever need arose. We are the best equipped district government facility in the state.”

Dr Neelkant, another anesthetist, sanitises even keys before he enters his home. “Both my father and mother have respiratory problems. Our lives have totally changed from March 22 onwards as we are doing duties continuously. In the beginning it felt very tricky but now we are used to it.” He doesn’t even meet his young daughter until he has sanitised each and everything, taken a bath and changed clothes.

As many as 70 per cent of the Covid patients were diabetics, 10 per cent had kidney diseases and many were already suffering from lung diseases or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). This doesn’t stop here. “We got at least 25 to 40 snake bite cases as well and grappled with Covid cases side by side. With the approaching peak, we are on our guard. The most gruelling time was between September 10 and 30 when the district saw as many as 45 cases,” Dr Paramjit said.