India Claps to Fight Back Coronavirus Pandemic 2020 but how does the Medical Staff feel about it?

“I came back home from a long night shift at the hospital that day. When I stepped out on my balcony, I could see that everyone was standing on their balconies, from a small kid to the senior citizens. They were all smiling, applauding and cheering for us! Some were banging the plates and spoons and others were clapping as loud as they could. I had tears in my eyes, I literally cried. It was a very sweet gesture. That moment I felt proud of my profession.”

A Nurse from a Government Hospital in Mumbai shares her experience from the phenomenal show of gratitude that took place on 22nd March by the communities and neighbourhoods in every nook and cranny of India. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, addressed the nation via Live TV on March 21 and asked the nation to abide by the Janta Curfew in light of the current pandemic caused by Coronavirus. Upon the call of the Prime Minister, every citizen stepped out on their balconies and cheered for the Medical Service Providers and Essential Service Providers such as the Police, Doctors, Nurses, Medical Staff, etc.

It was a chaotically harmonious and heart-warming sight when people showed their gratitude by cheering and applauding. It united everyone in a bond of community, camaraderie and brotherhood. The message was clear: we are all in this together. To combat the global pandemic of COVID-19 people are practising self-isolation, quarantine and a curfew has been imposed in Delhi as well to monitor the lockdown and stop the infectious spread.

A Senior Medical Staff from a reputed Hospital in Delhi calls this cheering “heartwarming.” She further says that “the gesture by people was incredible and I felt great.”

For Dr. Shruti Gupta, MD, Radiodiagnosis from Sharda Hospital “the show of gratitude was heartfelt and I was teary-eyed. It was very positive and motivated us to do our very best.”

The gesture moved every Medical Service provider in India however, there is a pressing issue that each one of them addressed. 

According to a Nurse at the Government Hospital, “there is a lack of supply and a big problem is the misuse of things. We have enough masks and gloves when we take out the stock in the morning but the very next day all the supply disappears. The fourth-class employees are stealing the supply which leads to a shortage. We are counting the supplies these days as to how many got used in the day to avoid the misuse of supply. The masks and gloves are vanishing like anything. So we are suspecting that the fourth class workers, such as the helping hands and the cleaners are stealing it and selling it outside since the demand for masks and gloves have increased and a lot of common people can also be seen using them these days.” She says, “Gratitude is fine and all but we need personal protective gear. We are falling short of basics such as masks, gloves and testing kits in the hospitals.” 

Another Senior Medical Staff member from a Private Hospital in Delhi says that “We have set up an isolation ward for the patients of Coronavirus in the hospital but there is shortage of medicines and testing kits. I’m not sure we would be able to handle it if a lot of patients turn up. We have enough medical staff to deal with the Coronavirus situation but the shortage of medical supplies will pose a big problem.” 

A Resident Doctor at Hamdard Medical College and Hospital, Dr Syed Faizan Ahmad, National Secretary of All India Medical Association, emphasises that “there is a dire need for hazmat suits, protective gears such as masks and gloves, for all the nurses, doctors and staff. “The doctors at the front-line dealing with COVID-19 don’t have enough protective gear. How will they save the rest if they are not protected themselves?”

The woes and worries of all the medical service providers are exponential. The cheer and applause was a needed gesture of appreciation for their heartfelt efforts but the need for personal protective equipment cannot be neglected.