Doctor Drives Serious COVID-19 Patient To Hospital In Odisha’s Burla

Sambalpur: A senior doctor at VIMSAR, Burla went beyond his call of duty to take a COVID-19 patient to hospital.

Shankar Ramchandani, a senior resident doctor of the Medicine Department at VIMSAR, brought the 35-year-old resident of Junapani Leprosy Colony in Burla to VIMSAR after the oxygen saturation level of the patient decreased alarmingly on Friday, New Indian Express reported.

Ramchandani said he usually visits the colony to check the health of the inhabitants after his duty hours get over. A few days ago, he found a man suffering from fever and cough and advised him to go for COVID-19 test. On October 6, his reports came positive and since then he was in home isolation.

“I went to the colony on Friday morning to check the patient and found that his oxygen saturation level had dipped to 78. I advised him to immediately get admitted to a hospital,” Ramchandani said.

The man’s neighbours dialled 104 ambulance service, but all the vehicles were busy. The person manning the helpline number replied that they will have to wait for some time to avail the facility.

As the patient’s condition started deteriorating due to the dip in oxygen level, Ramchandani purchased a PPE kit, wore it and drove the man to VIMSAR in his car. The patient was immediately admitted to the isolation ward and put on oxygen support.

Subsequently, the patient was shifted to the COVID-19 hospital in Sambalpur after his condition improved.