Coronavirus Pune: 'We will overcome this situation', says PMC Assistant Medical Officer Dr Vaishali Jadhav

Coronavirus Pune: 'We will overcome this situation', says PMC Assistant Medical Officer Dr Vaishali Jadhav

Pune: Doctors, medical staff and other healthcare providers are working under immense pressure as the number of COVID-19 patients continues to increase in the city and district. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has sealed areas deemed 'high-risk' and has launched a door-to-door survey for contact tracing to stop the spread of COVID-19s.

Dr Vaishali Jadhav, head of PMC's intensive survey, is leading 792 teams. The door-to-door survey is playing an essential role in providing crucial information, so the PMC can decide on the further plan of action to tackle the outbreak. Jadhav, who is serving as Assistant Medical Officer in PMC, spoke to Siddharth Gadkari on PMC's response to the pandemic, change in her responsibilities since the pandemic outbreak and what keeps her motivated in a time like this.

Q: What are the measures launched by your department to check the pandemic?
A: Our teams of doctors, nurses, teachers and Anganwadi workers have developed a system to survey COVID-19-affected areas of the city where fatalities have occurred. We have 792 teams of two members each. However, we send only nurses in highly infected areas to conduct the survey and take a follow-up of the patients' health. I step in when a suspect or confirmed patient is found. I depute teams on priority for contact tracing and provide information to Naidu Hospital for further action. We also collect information about SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) patients and send them to mobile clinics or nearby PMC hospitals for treatment. 

If our team finds symptoms of COVID-19 in a person, doctors collect swab samples and send them to the Naidu or Sassoon Hospital for testing. We also instruct patients with SARI and COVID-19 to home quarantine themselves and follow up with them. We also call and counsel them. We have to take regular updates from discharged patients as well.

Earlier, the survey was being conducted within an area of 3 sq km periphery of positive patients' residents. However, as the cases are increasing, we are covering over 80 per cent of the city area.

Q: How is your official routine after the virus outbreak?
A: Earlier, we were not so busy, and our job has become risky now. I start my day early in the morning by receiving calls from quarantined patients, team members, doctors and officials. My day begins at 7 am. I leave home at 9 am, and I carry tiffin but there is no specific lunchtime. After leaving home, I visit the survey sites and address problems faced by the team members. The situation and problems vary daily. I review tasks given to the teams, assign areas, call up the police and review security measures for the team members during the survey. We provide them with necessary medical equipment such as N-19 masks, sanitisers, etc.

The governance activities which had slowed down a month ago have picked up as we have meetings with the municipal commissioner, additional municipal commissioners, the district administration and state officials. Collection of information, updating it and passing it to PMC is my main task.

Q: What are the challenges that you face during the outbreak check?
A: My life has changed now. Every minute, my thoughts are occupied with tackling the pandemic. Planning, keeping updated, administrative and counselling activities do not seem to end, even long after the office hours end.

Besides work, I mostly stay at home since the lockdown. I do miss meeting my parents, catching up with friends and being able to take breathers by travelling. But I catch up with them by messaging and calling. Physical distancing does not mean cutting off social ties.

Q: How is your family supporting you with your work?
A: On the family front, I had to do the household chores as our housemaid is on leave. Now the situation has changed with the increasing workload. Earlier, I was concerned about my family members' breakfast, lunch, dinner and health. Now, they are taking care of me. They make breakfast, lunch, dinner. They wait for me for dinner. Even my dog understands the seriousness of the situation. It does not come close to me when I reach home. He approaches me after I take a bath.

Now life has changed 360 degrees. Being a doctor, I take all precautions while I am on the field. But when I reach home, I feel scared. My emotions override my professional duties sometimes. I am ready to face any situation, but my family should not get affected. Everyone is under threat, including the medical professionals, even though they are working in most-secure hospital areas with all necessary medical facilities around them.

Q: Have you observed any positive thing during this outbreak?
A: Our positive attitude, the strong human spirit to survive, to adapt, to share, to care for, and working with one another is our common goal to defeat the COVID-19. I am confident that we will overcome this situation. I appreciate my team members, who are working in this tough time without taking leaves. Everyone has a family, but they are working very hard. I salute them.

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