Dr Chaudhary: Man on mission

Dr Gagan Chaudhary has been working tirelessly and relentlessly to treat the COVID-19 patients in remote place of Dodhara Chandani in Kanchanpur district.

The Primary Health Centre where Dr Chaudhary serves has been getting increasing traffic of COVID-19 patients lately which has thrown Dr Chaudhary’s routine and personal life out of gear. Yet, the medical officer is on a mission treat as many as the COVID-19 suspected and infected persons in the locality and help them recover.

As this scribe approached Dr Chaudhary for a tete-a-tete and to learn about the COVID-19 patients’ situation in Dodhara Chandani, the doctor donning personal protection dress (PPE) was attending to the patients without a sign of fatigue, frown and fume.

Taking a brief break, he sat in the chair where he said he used to take a nap to replenish him if he ever needed a rest. He shared that it has been over a month he has not taken a single day off and has not slept well.

With not a single second to spare, he devoted himself to the official duty round-the-clock and seemed to be happy to be at the disposal of the patients even at personal level. “If even I sleep, I do it in chair while sitting,” he shared with a glint of pride to be able to render healthcare services to the COVID-19 patients in the second wave of the pandemic.

When the first wave hit Sudurpaschim Province, there was not much of turnout of the COVID-19 patients in Dodhara Chandani, according to Dr Gunaraj Awasthi, Director at the Sudurpaschim Regional Health Directorate. Dr Awasthi recalled that Dr Chaudhary would wear PPE he had made himself out of disposable plastic while treating the patients during the first wave.

Dr Chaudhary had been rendering healthcare services to the local patients in bare minimum since he was stationed in Dodhara Chandani four years ago. The centre was upgraded time to time and now is well equipped with medical appliances to prevent and control COVID-19 and treat the infected ones in comparison to the first wave of the pandemic.

The infection rate in Sudurpaschim Province has spiked with the outbreak and spread of second wave of COVID-19. The number of patients in the Province as of last Sunday was recorded at 40,573 with the recovery rate standing at over 55 per cent, according to the Health Directorate in Dipayal.

Kailali and Kanchanpur are the hardest hit districts in the Province which has over 11 official and unofficial border points with India. Dr Chaudhary is hailed as a ‘Hero’ by the locals and patients in Dodhara Chandani.

Dr Chaudhary has ensured health treatment and made the residents feel the presence of the state by working day and night in their service. In the past, only a small number of patients would visit the health facility due to a lack of human resources and a doctor. Now the health centre has received around 150 patients on a daily basis against 10 in the past.

For his relentless contribution, the Sudurpaschim government has honoured him with the title, ‘Covid Hero’, said director Awasti. A graduate with MBBS degree, who has pursued the course on government scholarship, is assigned to serve in the area as specified by the government for at least two years.

“As per the agreement, I had to stay in Dodhara Chandani for two years. However, I continued my stay here to the service of the people of the area after seeing their predicaments without access to even general health treatment,” he said.

When the infection has swept the country, the health facility is struggling to provide treatment to COVID-19 patients due to a lack of oxygen, he said. It however has adequate supply of medical equipments used to control the virus like personal protective equipments and facemasks.