E-Paper
On the frontline: Our biggest challenge is contact tracing as positive cases are rising, says PMC assistant health chief
Dr Vaishali Jadhav’s responsibility is to undertake contact tracing of Covid-19 patients and to initiate a survey in a one-three km radius of positive cases and sanitise the locality
Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) assistant health chief, Dr Vaishali Jadhav, has been playing a crucial role in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. Her responsibility is to undertake contact tracing of Covid-19 patients and to initiate a survey in a one-three km radius of positive cases and sanitise the locality. Here’s what she had to say about her work.
What is your role in this crisis?
My primary responsibility is contact tracing. Once a positive patient is found, we start the contact tracing of the persons who may have come in contact with the patient and may have got infected. I pass on the information to the concerned ward office where various medical teams have been formed. These teams visit the family members and others who came in contact with the positive patient and check whether they are displaying any symtoms. They are also asked to remain in home isolation. Our teams keep a follow-up for the next 14 days. My other responsibility is to undertake a suvery in a 1km to 3km radius of the infected person and sanitise the area.
How does your day begin and roll out?
My day starts very early and how it pans out is not in my hands. On an average, for the last few days, work has been going on till 10 pm as our teams have been encountering various problems which need to be sorted out. We need to update information time to time. Although the physical work gets done during 8am to 10pm, work on the phone goes on throughout, from early morning.
What precautions are you taking?
I have been visiting some hospitals while doing co-ordination alongside and therefore have to take basic precautions such as using the mask, hand gloves, frequent washing of hands and use of sanitiser. Keeping social distance during site visits and in the office is also important.
What is your assessment of the Covid-19 crisis in Pune? How do you see it unfolding?
Positive cases are increasing day-by-day and they have started multiplying. It is tough to say that how many days such a situation is going to continue. If people remain at home and follow the guidelines given by centre, state and municipal corporation, it would help us to take control over situation much earlier.
What gaps do you see in healthcare and relief work?
Since cases have started multiplying and the number of positive cases is increasing, our biggest challenge is contact tracing. The faster we are able to do the contract tracing, lesser would be the number of people infected. Our main challenge is to increase the search teams and increase manpower. We have appealed to the citizens that the health teams are working for their safety. Therefore, citizens should co-operate and give proper information. It would help us control the situation faster.
