How Kashmir’s female docs, nurses fight valiantly against COVID-19

After every three days, Sadiya (name changed), who is a nurse has to travel more than 60 kilometres from her home to reach Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar. Amid complete lockdown and no transport on roads, she has no other option than to walk miles to do her duties.

“I cannot explain how we reach to hospital. It is scary to walk on deserted roads and security checking points dotting along the way. Some people associated with emergency services give lifts but most of the times we have to walk to reach to hospital,” Sadiya narrates, while performing her duties at the hospital.

According to her, administration has kept bus service available for the staff residing within radius of 6-kilometres of hospital. “Nobody is renting us accommodation here. We are facing social stigma. People prefer to stay away from us. Nobody wants us to enter their homes saying they may get infected. Even our families are telling us to stay at hospital that we may bring home coronavirus,” she said.

As per the roster, the nurses have to work in shifts for three or four days then take off equal number of days.

Surprisingly, there is no proper accommodation for their stay in the hospital.

“Five nurses have to share one small room in the ward. We have to share washroom with attendants. Our role is as important as doctors but we are not provided proper accommodation,” she said.

Parvena Khan, president of the nurses association, said government needs to protect nurses who work for 24x7 in hospitals.

“Nurses are on the forefront but are not provided protective gear. If doctors are provided accommodation in hotels then why can’t for nurses,” she asked.

In absence of protective gear, doctors, nurses, and paramedics are susceptible to catch virus.

Similarly, there are many female doctors who work round the clock to treat COVID-19 patients unmindful of their health.

Dr Bilquis Shah, who is Resident Medical Officer (RMO) at Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial Hospital (JNLM) Rainawari, leaves for hospital at 9 am and return home around 1 midnight.

She has only younger daughter at home while her elder daughter is abroad and husband in Tihar Jail.

“I hardly get time to even talk to my younger daughter. I go home for few hours to change and sanitize myself. I have dedicated myself wholeheartedly to the hospital and treat these patients. It is humanitarian crisis so doctors and paramedics have to be on the forefront in these tough times,” she said.

Whole day, she remains busy, arranging things for COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine.

Initially, she said the biggest challenge was how to make arrangements for people who are in quarantine. “Even contractors were not ready to serve them meals. But God’s grace, we have now all arrangements in place,” she said.

Government has designated several hospitals including Chest Disease, JLNM and SKIMS Bemina as COVID-19 sanatorium to treat coronavirus patients.

Like Dr Bilquis, there are other female doctors who are fighting valiantly against coronavirus in Kashmir.

One of the female doctors has a baby at home. These days she does not want to breastfeed him. Whole day she remains busy in treating patients. “I reach home late in the evening when my baby is already asleep. I feel unsafe to breastfeed my baby these days. I avoid even to touch or hug him. Some male doctors are separating themselves from their families to avoid transmitting the virus to them. But for female doctors who have small children, we have to go to our home and also take care of our families,” she said, who wished not to be quoted by name.

Dr. Shahzada, another doctor associated with tackling COVID-19, said they have to do their duties although there was a greater risk involved.

“It is not favor to anyone. It is our duty which we have to fulfill. We should not be scared of death. When there is normalcy, we would enjoy medical profession then how can we remain behind in crisis situation,” she said.

Dr Sameena, who is working at SKIMS Soura, has a responsibility to make all arrangements for COVID-19 suspects and patients.

“I have to make logistics and medicines available. Initially we faced a lot of problems as patients felt they were being jailed or in detention centre. Later we made them aware and now we are not facing many difficulties,” she said.

Principal Government Medical College Srinagar Dr Samia Rashid however claimed they have provided accomodation to nurses and paramedics who have asked for.

“There are 30 rooms at circuit house for them. We are arranging accomodation for not only doctors but also to those nurses who come forward,” she said.

Dr Samia said it was not possible to arrange buses for entire staff of GMC Srinagar associated hospitals.

“Six buses are plying on various routes. But we have to be little careful and keep social distancing,” she said.

Dr Samia however said she has no knowledge that five nurses share one room at CD Hospital Srinagar.