KOZHIKODE: The battle against Nipah proved the mettle of youngsters to take risks, even at the cost of their own life, and perform their duty as a mission, and not as a mere a job. From Day One, the young house surgeons and post-graduate residents of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) risked their lives in the fight against the ‘unknown disease’. Junior resident Dr Roy J. Palatty told this newspaper that many of the residents who attended the Nipah suspected cases caught fever later and were scared for their lives. “Most of us were exposed to patients without any protective dress and equipment. So we spent sleepless nights till the test results proved negative,” he added.
For many of them it was the first ever experience on the field, facing such a deadly disease. The readiness of the youngsters to do anything was a solace for many who had undergone the ordeal. Many others who were deputed to collect blood samples had backed out from it in the beginning. Even the paramedical staff backed out due to fear to collect the throat samples of patients. Social media is abuzz with the sacrifice of these youngsters. During moments of crisis, the medicos came out like angels, it was pointed out.
Those youngsters were always coming to me and promised me all the care, said Ajanya M., a Nipah survivor who was discharged on Monday. “In fact I was not able to differentiate between PGs, ‘house surgeons’ and other young doctors. I cannot forget that youthful faces who fought to bring me back from the hands of death,” she added. “They were always around me ready to help.”.
The authorities of KMCH were also very much impressed by the major role played by the young medicos. At the beginning there was shortage of safety gears like masks and personal protection equipment (PPE). Most of them cooperated with the mission in a big way risking their lives, using the ordinary gloves and masks. KMCH principal Dr V.R. Rajendran told this newspaper that at the beginning there was a fear among all and a small section kept off. “But later all of them joined in the mission. At some point we were bit afraid as few of them caught fever,” he said. Till the results proved that they are negative all of us were tense,” he added.
