Families of Indore's frontline COVID-19 warriors say they're afraid, yet proud

While the world continues to battle the COVID-19 crisis, healthcare workers, who are battling it on the frontline, are risking their own lives day in and out to ensure that the scales remain tipped in the favour of mankind.

The family members of these healthcare workers from Indore expressed apprehensions about the safety of their near and dear ones but said that the national duty come first.

One such case is that of Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Praveen Jadia, who had recently undergone surgery for spinal injury but resumed his work, cutting short his rest period as the COVID-19 crisis began. Dr Praveen has not returned to his house for the past 15 days and has been working round the clock to ensure the treatment of patients in the region.

"Members of our core committee and I have not gone back to our homes for the past 15 days. We are staying at a hotel and the working hours are not fixed here as the calls can come anytime. A room has been set up as an office at the hotel. Often we receive phone calls in the night and shift them from one hospital to another," Dr Praveen told here.

"I had undergone surgery for a spinal injury on January 31. I could rest for just five days and then had to resume duty, the spot has probably not healed completely yet, and therefore, sometimes I get pain and face difficulty in walking. I speak to my family members over video chat. My father is very old but we cannot risk the life of our family. We are fulfilling our duty and there is immense satisfaction due to this," he added.

Meanwhile, family members of Dr Praveen also said that they were proud of him despite the uncertainties.

"I am proud of my father. He had spinal surgery but still, he is working to protect people. We are scared due to the situation but for him, his duty comes first," Pravi Jadia, herself a first-year MBBS student said.

Similarly, Anupam Jadia, Dr Praveen's wife said she was proud and concerned at the same time for her husband.

"I am very proud of my husband and concerned too about him. We try several times to speak to him but he happens to be busy most of the time," she said.

A similar story unfolded in the house of Dr Amit Malakar, where his wife, Preeti, said that it was their wedding anniversary and they were forced to spend in separation.

"Today, it is our marriage anniversary but serving people is more important than this, given the present-day situation. There is a little bit of fear, because of the situation and we usually get to talk only once a day ever since he moved out from the house on April 3 and has not returned since," Preeti told here.

( With inputs from ANI )

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