Vasco-based pulmologist Dr Anil Mehndiratta
PANAJI
Noted Vasco-based pulmologist and past IMA Goa state president, Dr Anil Mehndiratta has stated that it is high time that private doctors pitch in voluntarily to help the government doctors who, he said, are on the threshold of physical and mental exhaustion in the fight against Covid pandemic.
Dr Mehndiratta said that the government is doing its best, but there is a sudden surge in the positive cases, causing a big burden on the health infrastructure.
“I have already volunteered myself as an expert to work in the MPT hospital which is being converted into a COVID hospital,” said Dr Mehndiratta.
On the government efforts to arrest the spread of covid, Dr Mehndiratta said that the health services need to increase the testings, and reduce the time taken to give the reports. Tracing of the contacts of the Covid positive patients and isolating them to prevent the further spread of the infection is of utmost importance.
Speaking on lockdowns, Dr Mehndiratta who has been a Covid frontline worker for some time now, said that lockdown is not a solution, but if people don’t follow the Covid protocol, one needs to impose a total lockdown to break the chain of spread of the disease.
People need to follow the Covid protocol of wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing, avoid mass gatherings and maintain proper hand hygiene, he added.
Speaking on the vaccination drive, he said UK controlled their second wave by mass vaccination and added that one needs to understand that mass vaccination is only way of getting herd immunity and controlling the spread of the disease.
Further, he said the increase in the death rate may be because of late reporting of the patients to the hospital and added that it looks like the Coronavirus has undergone mutation and is more virulent and more contagious than before.
Any patient who has fever, cough, breathing problem of sudden onset should get themselves tested, isolate themselves and start on the medicines which are provided free of cost by government of Goa till the test reports are ready, Dr Mehndiratta advised.
Dr Mehndiratta suggested that an important tool for home monitoring is 6MWT (six minute walk test).
Check the oxygen saturation at base line and recheck after walking on a level ground for 6 minutes. If it is less than 93% or there is a drop of more than 3%, one needs to consult their physician, he said.
