‘Mental strength, family support key to winning Covid-19 battle’

Dr Shoman Aniruddha, an anesthesiologist, has been working at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Mugda General Hospital since mid-April when the hospital began Covid-19 treatment.

He showed coronavirus symptoms early June when he was in quarantine after completing his seven-day routine duty at a stretch.

On June 9, he tested positive for Covid-19 and went into isolation at home. Ten days later, on May 19, he came out of isolation, defeating the virus, and joined the hospital in a new shift that started on June 21.

He had a fever for seven days in a row, Dr Shoman told The Business Standard.

His symptoms were moderate and received treatment at home upon advice from his doctor friends, he added.

The number of Covid-19 infections and deaths among doctors performing at the ICUs is higher in the country.

When asked if he was afraid of returning to work two days after his recovery, he said, "The rate of re-infection is still very low. Besides, after being infected, the body produces a kind of antibody. This encouraged me to return to work without any fear.

"However, one of the reasons for joining work was that there is a shortage of doctors in the country, especially ICU specialists. If one of us falls sick, it becomes difficult to handle the flow of patients. So, I joined the duty as soon as I recovered," said Dr Shoman.

Setting aside the social stigma, the family members stood by Dr Shoman when he was undergoing treatment.

Family support and mental strength are very crucial to defeating the virus, said Dr Shoman.

Dr Shoman is happy now to be able to serve the people despite a concern that his nine-year-old daughter Anusuya Barno might get infected as both he and his wife are physicians and have to deal with Covid-19 patients.

The physician couple is going through stress as they have been staying away from their beloved daughter for over a month.

Like Dr Shoman, Dr Jahidur Rahman, a Virologist and assistant professor of department of Microbiology, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, also contracted Covid-19 on May 10, while he was in charge of the Covid-19 test lab.

After staying 16 days in home isolation, he recovered on May 26. Just two days after his recovery, he resumed Covid-19 testing in the lab. As he was the focal person of the lab, he did not have a chance to take a rest after the recovery.

Dr Jahidur Rahman told The Business Standard, "Earlier, people had to suffer every day for tests. Their suffering has reduced since testing started in our lab."

Now, Suhrawardy Hospital's lab can test 188 samples a day. With the increase in PCR machines and workforce, it will be possible to test more here.

A few more doctors and technologists in that lab are working round the clock for coronavirus tests after recovering from the virus.

Dr Jahidur Rahman said mental strength and family support are essential for winning the battle with Covid-19. It is hard to stay alone for two weeks. His wife and 10-year-old son made it easy for him to defeat Covid-19.