Untold story of doctors from across the globe during the pandemic

                                  -By Dr Imbesat Maheen Syed

During this COVID-19 pandemic, much misinformation was out there, and people believed that either doctor were paid or sponsored for validating the pandemic. The truth is that neither doctors are paid nor sponsored for it.

During challenging times, people panic or suffer difficulty responding unpleasantly, but over time, it must improve. To have a healthy society, we must have a supportive environment where we support and uplift each other, especially health care workers.

Some of the examples of unconditional services of doctors during the pandemic are below.

Li Wenliang, MD, Chinese ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital, who alerted Chinese authorities of a disease that resembled severe acute respiratory syndrome, was initially censored and died six weeks later of COVID-19.

Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has benevolently led the US through this pandemic, with experience and intelligence, and who has tried to reassure his worried nation with science and his professionalism.

Maurizio Cecconi, MD, head of the Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Department of Humanitas Research Hospital in Milan, Italy, who with the help of a camera, told the story of the early days in Lombardy, Italy, brought the attention of the world to prepare for the tsunami of COVID-19 disease to come.

Millions of health care workers—physicians, nurses, technicians, other health care professionals, and hospital support staff, as well as first responders including emergency rescue personnel and others who provide essential services and products—around the world, have faced the challenge of providing care for patients with COVID-19, while often ill-equipped and poorly prepared, risking their own lives to save the lives of other. They honour our medical fraternity with their commitment, dedication, and professionalism.

Let’s not forget that only a cooperative community can progress.

In Pakistan, doctors worked under a scarcity of resources.

I’m making my share of contributions like many other fellow clinicians to better my medical fraternity and public awareness on this pandemic. I was neither paid nor sponsored or asked by any institute or organization to do it, using my resources to reach out to people. I’ve written papers and articles in journals and magazines, and newspapers on COVID-19 and clinician health/well being. I made videos for public awareness, including on topics of masking and hand hygiene.

The intensive work drained health-care providers physically and emotionally. Health-care providers have shown their resilience and the spirit of absolute dedication to overcome difficulties.

Comprehensive support is need of the hour to protect the wellbeing of health-care providers. Regular and intensive training for all health-care providers is, on the other hand, necessary to promote efficacy and prompt delivery of services in any crisis management.

Together as a medical fraternity and as a global community, let's continue to provide our unconditional services for the betterment of humanity and be considerate and thoughtful of our fellow HCW regardless of their position in the working hierarchy, gender and ethnicity in these times and always.

Only a supportive community can thrive.

-The author is a resident Pediatric surgery track, writer, poet, and advocate of medical humanities and writer. She is bridging the gaps in evidence-based medicine and humanities through her work.