The Healers: Namastey

“Unlike the first wave of Covid-19, the second largely affected the earning population of our country leaving behind a void in the families.

Failure to comply with the strict lockdown measures led to an unfurling spread of the disease. Among the shortages that we faced, the one for remdesivir- which helps lower the viral load if administered early on, shook me. Although the WHO mentions that it does not help combat the Covid-19 infection, there was an unprecedented panic for it. The farmers in my village had stopped trusting the hospitals due to the fear of being stuck there for two weeks and the splurging costs of these antivirals.

As a doctor, I wanted to put forth my best attempt and save as many lives as possible. I treated over 200 Covid-19 patients in my village- without remdesivir, even in cases with an HRCT score between 15–20.

I believe early detection of the infection is the ultimate key to win the fight against Covid. However, the closest test center was about 50kms away, so, I relied on my knowledge of ayurvedic medicine techniques like nadiparikshan to diagnose pulse and internal inflammation in the patients. With this, we isolated the prospective patients and started their treatment before we could even get their test results. In some cases, I visited these patients at their homes and gave them prone positions to improve oxygen levels and attain stable breathing.

Ultimately, we have to rely on our body and our immune system to fight the virus. Hence, I would advise everyone to build…