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Global webinar on Covid-19 started by Chandigarh’s PGIMER has now become a weekly feature
Dr GD Puri from PGIMER’s covid management committee said Countries like US, UK and Italy have reported thousands of cases,so, doctors from there have more experience in dealing with Covid-19 patients
What started as an online interactive session for alumni of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), has turned into a global webinar within a month, wherein doctors and experts from around the world come together every weekend and discuss their latest learnings on coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Started by the alumni group of department of anesthesia, PGIMER, an hour-long webinar has become a weekly feature now.
Dr GD Puri from PGIMER’s covid management committee said, “We have alumni all over the world and many are in touch through WhatsApp groups. Initially, there were discussions of a group where the alumni would offer help by sharing latest information. So, the Covid-19 management committee started the webinar on weekends.”
Doctors from St George’s Hospital (where UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was treated), London, North Well Health System Hospitals, New York; Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, St Thomas’, London and Queen Elizabeth hospital, Birmingham, join the webinar from abroad, which is also joined by doctors from AIIMS, Delhi, SGPGI, Lucknow, and Dayanand Medical College and Apollo, Punjab.
“Countries like US, UK and Italy have reported thousands of cases. So, these doctors have more experience in dealing with Covid-19 patients than us,” said Dr Puri, who heads the anesthesia department.
The webinar became a weekly practice from the last week of March. Initially, 50 to 60 doctors from abroad and 40 to 50 from India joined; but now, because of “time constraint”, 10 to 15 doctors from abroad join. Last weekend, 70 doctors participated in the webinar.
Dr Puri said the Punjab government has also asked them to train their doctors, using this medium.
He said: “If we have any questions, we discuss those and then, we discuss patients with them. We discuss the latest research and findings of studies, so we can learn from their experience and try to implement what they have learnt via patient management”
“I don’t want to reveal the name of a drug, but, we were told about how a specific medicine used early during treatment has reduced mortality and decreased incidence of patients going on ventilator.” “Similarly, we have also shared our experiences. But, till you don’t randomise controlled trial, it is very difficult to say whether the drug is effective or if it’s patient management that is making the difference. So, it is difficult to pin point at one thing which is helping,” a doctor said.
