Published on April 10, 2020
AHMEDABAD: As on Monday, the USA has recorded 3.3 lakh Covid-19 cases and 9,600 deaths. As the projections are still grim, a large number of doctors from Gujarat who have made the US their home is at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19. A few of them share their experiences and a lesson or two for India.
Dr Ashok Jain, senior vice president and chief medical officer for Beaumont Hospital, Wayne, in metropolitan Detroit, graduated from Baroda Medical College in 1977.
“I am working 12 hours a day, seven days a week. I am on call round-the-clock as our hospital has been designated to take overflow Covid-19 patients from seven other hospitals in our system. To allow for more Covid-19 patients to be cared for, the emergency centre and obstetrical services will be temporarily closed,” said Dr Jain, adding that they are expanding their 66-bed respiratory unit to a 233 bed-facility.
Beaumont’s medical staff is currently caring for about 1,000 patients while about 1,800 have been discharged.
Dr Jain said that India’s 21-day lockdown is a ‘most welcome step.’ “It’s a must. I applaud the PM’s approach,” he said. “We are in for a long haul, at least the next three months.”
Dr Raj Bhayani, president of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin of Queens and Long Island, has been in New York for close to three decades. A native of Amreli, Dr Bhayani said that they are making sure doctors are getting personal protection equipment (PPE) which is in short supply.
“We are directly approaching distributors and ensuring that hospitals and doctors get it. Likewise, we are also ensuring uninterrupted supply of prophylactic drugs for doctors. As doctors are working round the clock in emergency care, temples and self-help groups are providing food,” said Dr Bhayani.
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