The fear of pandemic and its aftereffects ruled the roost in year 2021. The deaths it claimed directly (killing those infected) or indirectly (people also died of stress or committed suicide as they lost their source of income) will forever haunt mankind while also leaving a never-to-be-filled vaccum in the lives of those who lost their dear ones. The year 2021 began with second wave of coronavirus claiming several lives. Though by the end of the year coronavirus cases went down drastically with no deaths being reported for days together, the panic has not subsided. To add to the woes, a new variant ‘omicron’ has come up. From January to March, new cases were in the range of 250 to 1,000. Sometimes those went beyond 1,500 even.

 

The cases reduced from May onwards to double digit. After July, on most occasions the cases were either zero or in single digit. Deaths too reduced to zero. In fact for last more than two months except on two occasions (only one death in one single day), nobody died of COVID 19. By the year-end the death count had gone beyond 10,000. Similarly, the positive cases in the district crossed 4.93 lakh. There was a good thing about recovery as the cumulative number, too, reached 4.83 lakh and recovery rate stood around 97%. Against tall claims made by administration and ministers that everything was ready, their preparedness was proper, people faced several problems during second wave. The lack of readiness came to the fore, when people had to run from pillar to post just to get a single bed, when people had to beg for oxygen cylinder, had to buy one remdesivir injection for even Rs 25,000 whose actual cost was not more than Rs 6,000. There was lot of resentment among public against hospitals, doctors and overall mismanagement. Before the third wave began, the administration had claimed that it had 44,000 beds ready in the district with around 23,000 in city. Last year Nagpur Municipal Corporation too had said that it had kept 5,000 beds ready.

 

Ministers had announced that a jumbo hospital of 1,000 beds was coming up. The administration, the leaders, the ministers made lot of announcements about oxygen plants too. Torrent of corona cases devastated all the claims and district experienced total chaos. It was also alleged that nobody took doctors into confidence while taking crucial decisions. Later on when the corona terror reduced a bit, Government constituted task forces where they included doctors. On the inoculation front, vaccination initially got a meek response from public as most people showed reluctance despite strict measures applied by administration. Administration has to apply several tactics to get people vaccinated themselves. There was initially a fear among people about vaccines. Administration had to impose fines for people not following rules like wearing mask, maintaining physical distance. Schools, colleges remained closed for most part of the year. Several establishments, industries faced the economic crisis as several people lost jobs, some industries went bankrupt. Despite these sufferings administration failed to learn any lesson. It had assured that 25 oxygen plants would be set up. Some plants were inaugurated but they never functioned. The coronavirus affected the students taking medical education. The skill be it of surgery or of any treatment, conducting procedures is an important part in the medical education.

 

Unfortunately the students remained deprived of learning those skills. While focussing on coronavirus, the department completely forgot the issues of students. Similarly, the issue of lecturers appointed through Divisional Selection Board (DSB) too remained pending. These DSB lecturers whose appointment is made for two years and keeps getting extension gave maximum contribution during the pandemic. But decision to make them regular was not taken. Minister Amit Deshmukh himself assured Maharashtra State Medical Teachers Association to solve the issue but no concrete action was taken.

 

Awareness about Organ donation rising With what Dr Ravi Wankhede had begun a movement of organ donation the present body of Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee comprising Dr Vibhavari Dani, Dr Sanjay Kolte and convenor Veena Vathore took the baton ahead. There was obviously no organ donation during pandemic, but later on, it increased. At the same time during some cadaveric donations, despite the victim’s relatives agreed to donate heart and lungs, same could not be transplanted due to logistic reasons. Nagpur has four heart transplant centres they are not in touch with ZTCC. This has made all mess and no recipient could get heart. Had that procedure been completed, lives of people could have been saved.