Doctors create awareness on Covid-19 among Mumbra patients

As fear of Covid-19 outbreak grips densely-populated Mumbra, general practitioners in the locality are facing dual challenges – keeping themselves safe from the

As fear of Covid-19 outbreak grips densely-populated Mumbra, general practitioners in the locality are facing dual challenges – keeping themselves safe from the virus and convincing patients to adhere to the norms of social distancing.

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“We have to take a lot of precautions because safety of all other patients and doctors can be at risk if a patient turns out to be Covid-19 positive. For patients with symptoms similar to Covid-19, hold phone conversations to assess the severity of the situation.

Depending on the pattern and severity of symptoms, we decide if they visit the clinic ,” said Dr. Alfarooq Raut, a general practitioner in Mumbra.

A few days ago, two of Raut’s patients tested positive for the virus. “Thankfully I had spoken to them over the phone,” he added.

Until Satuday, there were 372 total coronavirus cases in all of Thane Municipal Corporation’s (TMC) jurisdiction, 55 were from Mumbra. On April 2, Mumbra had only had two cases.

Non-adherence to social distancing norms by many patients visiting their clinics is a bigger cause of worry for doctors than direct risks associated in checking patients.

“I had a patient with travel history who failed to isolate. I had to call the police to ensure he complied. As doctors who are working in such a situation, we have to also take care of all these allied responsibilities,” said Dr. Moinuddin Rawoot, president of the Medical Practitioners’ Association Mumbra-Kausa, which has nearly 350 doctors under its ambit.