Pune: Nothing is more disappointing for Dr Dipti Bachchhaw than seeing people breaking the lockdown rules and not caring at all about the deadly coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
She is a doctor, who is clocking more than 12 hours a day at a quarantine facility, who is unable to give enough time to her 8-year-old autistic boy, who is facing a social boycott from neighbours and relatives and is still upbeat about her duty as a doctor in these testing times.
Bachchhaw (40) is a doctor with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and is currently working at the quarantine centre at Singhad Institute COVID Care Centre and Quarantine in Yewlevadi, Kondhwa.
Considering her work as the topmost priority, Bachchhaw continues to battles this pandemic without flinching at the personal sacrifices, just like a true warrior.
HANDLING PATIENTS
“It is very challenging to handle patients when they come to this quarantine centre as they are very scared. It takes us some time to counsel them and gradually things settle down. At this quarantine centre, suspected patients are kept and after that their swab test is done and the report comes, they are transferred to hospital based on the outcome. Few of the asymptomatic patients are also at this centre in a separate building,” said Bachchhaw who is handling this centre with a team of three doctors.
INITIAL DAYS
Bachchhaw, who was earlier working at the PMC-run Naidu hospital, mentioned that the initial days were extremely challenging for her and her family.
She said, “Every patient has a different symptom. In the initial days of the pandemic, I was working at the Naidu hospital and that phase was extremely challenging it was all new to us. Every day, we used to talk to the patients and write their case history."
She mentioned how she used to be scared of accidentally becoming a carrier of the virus and putting her family in danger.
"I used to fear coming back home to my husband and son. Initially, I used to stay back in the hospital only," she said.
SPENDING TIME WITH SON
Spending time with her eight-year-old autistic son Vivaan became a luxury as she was barely home. He also had to be kept protected from any possible infection.
"When I started coming back home from the hospital, I used to avoid coming in front of my son as I was scared of infecting him. He used to find it very weird and came to terms with it only because of my husband’s support," she said.
Erratic working hours also took a toll, as she often comes back by 2 am. "So, I hardly meet my son." Her son, who is also non-verbal, is unable to express but with his gestures, he shows that he is coping with the situation and becomes happy with whatever little time she can manage to give him.
FAMILY SUPPORT
Bachchhaw considers her husband, Nilesh Warlekar her pillar of strength. He also takes care of the house and Vivaan in her absence in the current circumstances.
"Initially my family was reluctant to let me go to work, sensing the danger involved. However, as a doctor, it was my duty to serve my patients and I cannot step back especially in this difficult time. Gradually, they have also understood my role and my husband has been extremely supportive," she said, adding that support of her parents, Aruna and Dr Bhaskar Bachchhaw was also instrumental.
'RELATIVE' SHARE OF TROUBLE
She had to face some anxious moments as some of her neighbours and relatives boycotted her, probably fearing that they will catch the virus.
“It is extremely disappointing to face social boycott as we who are treating patients considered as the carrier of the virus. It used to be extremely demoralizing for me when my neighbours and relatives used to run away from me. I went to my mother's place in Pimpri on her birthday and all my relatives started blaming me for coming there. It was very humiliating. With time, I have accepted this as you cannot change people’s mentality and I continue to do my work which is my topmost priority at present."
What does she expect from Pune's residents? "Follow the lockdown rules, otherwise all our work will be wasted.”