Covid duty before Eid for doctors

They will be too busy saving lives to celebrate the festival this year

Mumbai’s medical community has witnessed with dismay too many instances of people breaking social distancing rules and showing scant regard for any guidelines. Muslim doctors, who will spend their Eid like any other day putting in arduous hours in PPE suits and Covid ICUs and wards, say festivals will come and go, but should not be used as an excuse to disregard safety rules.

█ ‘People have a mindset that ‘humein kuchh nahin hoga’’

Dr Abizer Manked, 37, consulting physician at Saifee Hospital

I have not asked for leave as I am on official duty. I will be going for rounds to Saifee hospital to check on my Covid patients. It would take about 3-4 hours to see all the patients. My patients are admitted at various hospitals. I have to see them once in 24 hours be it any festival.

There is a mindset that ‘Humein kuchh nahin hoga. We are safe in our homes.’ They have not seen Covid patients or people running from pillar to post to get a hospital bed even for other diseases. Till you don’t experience that, you do not realise the gravity of the situation. I am sorry to see people posting recipes, sari challenges and other challenges, but few videos of people helping those in need.

My Eid plan is just to pray at home, seek blessings of elders on the phone and cook a good meal.

█ ‘Best thing to do on Eid is your duty’

Dr Burhanuddin Jawadwala, 33, Saifee Hospital, on duty at Covid ICU

Usually I celebrate with family, but this year I sent my wife and kids to my native place. I work in the Covid ICU where there is a high viral load. I did not feel like taking leave. The best thing to do on Eid is to do your duty.

People should understand their responsibility to the society and the medical community that is waging a battle with the virus. It’s not like it’s not going to come to them.

This is my first Eid away from my family. They are a little disappointed. They want me to be there, but they understand that my work is for the greater good.

█ ‘Before violating rules, think of doctors and nurses’

Amreen Changesh Khan, 23, nurse at BAJ RR hospital, Dombivli

Since I have been working in Covid ICU, I have been staying at a hostel in Dombivali for the past two months to avoid posing a risk to my family and neighbours. There is no point in taking leave since I can’t go home to Kalyan in any case.

The hospital has a lot of patients and I have to do a six-hour duty. On Eid, I will be working from 3 pm to 10 pm. I have no other plans.

When I see people violating social distancing norms, I just want them to think of the doctors and nurses who are working hard. They are not even thinking about their own families.

█ ‘Festivals will come every year’

Dr Mazhar Khan, paediatrician at Nair Hospital 28

My parents are elderly and have multiple comorbidities. So it is risky for me to go home. I’m not planning to go home for Eid even though I live in the same city.

At Nair initially we had isolation ward and we used to alternate between Covid and non-Covid patients every week. On April 19, the entire hospital was turned into a Covid hospital.

I never imagined I would have to spend Eid like this. The month of Ramzan was also difficult as I could not manage to complete all the fasts. Wearing the PPE and not drinking water was a bit risky.

In the past 10 days, I have seen many deaths of many men and women in their 30s with no comorbidities. When you see the young dying, it scares you. This is definitely not a time to celebrate. If everything goes well, Eid can be celebrated next year also.

The silver lining in this dark time is that every day we are discharging 80-100 people. We forget that people are recovering as well.

█ ‘I’ll pray alone and make video calls to family’

Mohammed Faiz Khan, 28, final year MD Internal medicine student at KEM hospital

Though it is not a dedicated Covid hospital, we have approx 400 Covid patients. I had never imagined spending Eid like this. I am working the whole day on Eid. I will be taking two rounds one each in the morning and evening.

Initially I used to go home to check on my family and their needs, but I did no go inside the house. They have called me home for Eid, but I am not going.

My family may send something to eat. I will be praying alone and making video calls. Eid will keep coming every year.