Neurology on Covid Frontlines (Indore)

Respected IAN members,

I am Dr Archana Verma, Consultant Neurologist and Associate Professor at Department of Medicine, MGM Medical College and MY Hospital, Indore, M.P. My city has suddenly shown upsurge in COVID patients and now it is one of the hotspots dealing with more than a thousand cases.

Local administration responded rapidly, undertook most hospitals of city, and divided them into red (only covid), yellow (covid suspect) and green (non covid) hospitals. I was incharge of ICU at MTH hospital. It is an obstetric set up and our team started from zero to convert it to a COVID set up.  Our teams divided in three categories as reception, HDU and ICU teams.  Treatment module of ICMR adopted.

Daily we started our duty with donning and end with doffing of PPE kits.  Doffing is far more difficult than donning as slight inadvertence can lead to self-infection, as occurred in few colleagues. Experience of being in that kit, covered from head to toe, is highly uncomfortable.  Every footstep taken ahead was difficult due to weight of kit. It was not easy to take breath. Perspiration under the kit was irritating and constantly nagging to scratch the nose and face. During those long hours of duty we were neither able to drink or eat, nor go to washroom. Only positive reinforcement was improvement in patient's condition with rationalized use of ventilators.

Isolation during the duty period was gruesome. Our food kept outside our room on a stool. We missed our family and kids. After 7 days of Covid duty, we were in strict home isolation.  Complete seclusion at home did not let us down. We are fully ready for next challenge to serve the humanity and nation at this tough phase.

Jai hind ! Vande mataram !