Neither bad times remain there nor good times are longer , though it is a question of perception and a mindset but one great characteristic of time is that it does not stop and keeps on moving fast. We are passing through the toughest period of facing an invisible devouring foe, killing wantonly our people and throwing a challenge on us and provoking us to finish it to its roots. Each one of us has to play a role in it and no one could afford to “skip”, dodge or ignore one’s duty especially those ones, specially trained for meeting the specific challenge. With this brief prelude , while we are aghast at seeing number of deaths rising daily in Jammu of those infected with the COVID virus, we have been lauding the role , the exemplary role being played by the frontline COVID warriors – the Doctors and other medical staff in treating the sick and most of them getting cured as well. However, in exceptional circumstances , when the challenge was getting more stubborn and tough , walking an extra step in fighting it out was expected of those who are supposed to mitigate the sufferings, pain and aches of those who look towards the Doctors as their saviours and their Gods on the earth- in particular , the senior ones, of course. It is unfortunately not in the highest traditions of the ethical standards and the commitment towards the ailing and even those battling for life to save them that many COVID victims should reportedly succumb to the virus merely due to the casual approach of some senior doctors in the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and Associated Hospitals. Why cannot these Doctors pay rounds and visits of the COVID wards intermittently during the day and even nights is the moot question. Any explanation of any sort would appear not plausible and that many lives could be saved merely by their visits can be traced to the sort of a satisfaction and psychological assurance felt by a patient that “now I can be saved” .Such a mindset on seeing senior doctor works wonders in upping the immunity of the ailing which helps one in overcoming the trauma of even an imminent death which, however, could be prevented by visits of and assurances by such senior doctors to the patients of COVID virus. Attendants and family members of the patients shared their helplessness but with due indignation with our press correspondent that due to casual approach of senior doctors , majority of whom were not visiting the COVID wards , many deaths could not be prevented. It is despite the directions given by the Lieutenant Governor to take “frontline in corona management”. Not only this , these directions preceded his advice to senior doctors for close monitoring of COVID patients. It is widely believed that little or deficient patient care was one of the reasons for higher deaths in Jammu which needs to be corrected as fast as possible. We have been receiving spate of calls from the much anxious and worried family members of the COVID patients from all Government hospitals including GMC, Chest Disease and Gandhi Nagar hospitals , even from Super Speciality hospital that senior Doctors were not at all visiting COVID wards. One fixed treatment prescribed is given to all patients irrespective of condition and level of infection. Let these Doctors come out of their cosy glass chambers and perform their duties or else the blame of causing death due to sheer negligence and apathy and by abdication of the official and moral duty would be on the side of such doctors. A pilot cannot be expected to fly an aircraft only during pleasant and calm weather and en-route if turbulent weather comes, the pilot cannot leave the aircraft – a pilot in every situation is what he or she is supposed to be. A senior Doctor cannot be any exception. When the Lieutenant Governor, despite his busiest schedule can visit the GMC Hospital more than once keeping in view the precarious situation of continuous surge in daily deaths of COVID patients , what precise problem these senior doctors have in not doing their duty and even not doing a bit more to win the hearts and souls? Financial Commissioner , Health and Medical Education Department feeling compelled to write an urgent letter to the GMC authorities regarding supervision of patients in COVID care wards by ”senior faculty members” denotes not only the urgency and the sensitivity of the matter but an admission that the mandatory practice was not followed by the seniors. There are less number of daily infections in Jammu as compared to Kashmir region but there are worryingly more deaths in Jammu as compared to Kashmir , nearly three times more and the trend continues to remain unaltered. Under such grave moments the responsibility of the seniors is more which should not be abdicated
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