Dr.Sazzad Hossain Shawon from Dhaka speaks about COVID-19 with Dr.Himabrata Das

May 6: The outbreak of coronavirus pandemic has left its scar on almost all the countries of the world. The Indian sub-continent where health facilities are always below what it should have been are now facing this pandemic with shortage of both health professionals and also a dearth of health equipment. When foremost nations like USA, France, Italy, United Kingdom are facing acute challenges in the face of corona threat, the condition of the countries in the Indian sub-continent could well be gauged. With lockdown continuing since almost a month, the debate between life and livelihood has also surfaced. Countries are contemplating to end lockdown very soon to revive the economy or livelihood of millions, but at the same time this would ofcourse result in the spike of more number of coronavirus cases. It is in this context that Dr. Himabrata Das spoke with renowned orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Sazzad Hossain Shawon, from the prestigious NITOR in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

I speak to Dr Sazzad hours after news breaks that Bangladesh has extended the lockdown till the 16th of May. In a very candid conversation, the eminent orthopaedic surgeon from the prestigious NITOR in Dhaka sketches a pen-picture of the existing scenario in his country.

Dr. H.Das: Let me start by asking you about the current situation in your country
Dr. S.H.Shawon: The current scenario is not so good.We are testing around 6000 samples daily and approximately 700-800 are turning out to be positive everyday

Dr. H.Das: What measures are being taken by the administration?
Dr. S.H.Shawon: The administration is trying its best but somehow we are not fully abiding by their directives. I really don’t know the reason behind this.The first step taken has been the Lockdown. Some services are open for a limited period of time, such as, grocery shops, supermarkets, pharmacies and banks. Few hospitals in Dhaka have been converted into dedicated COVID-19 facilities. The government hospitals are in charge of dealing with this crisis.The Government has had to deploy military forces to enforce the Lockdown!

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Dr. H.Das: How has COVID 19 affected the Bangladeshi economy?
Dr. S.H.Shawon: You must be aware that we are a middle income country. Our economy has been very badly hampered, especially the garments sector where we were doing really well. Daily labourers and people from the lower socio-economic group are becoming jobless day by day. The government has attempted to redress the most underprivileged by announcing packages, loan waivers and relief for the needy. As the situation worsens, I am afraid that middle class families will also start getting affected.

Dr. H.Das: As a doctor, what do you think of this pandemic?
Dr. S.H.Shawon: We should maintain social and physical distancing for atleast another 2 months, although the Government has extended the lockdown till 16 May. Rotation of the medical staff could be a wise option that the administration should consider so that the available human resources may be utilised efficiently. There is also the risk of health workers getting infected en-mass. It is encouraging that most of the citizens are getting aware and behaving sensibly. We have PPE kits. But we need to ensure their quality. We have to promote home quarantine. Only the most serious patients should be hospitalized as we have limited ICUs in our country. We are also facing a shortage of not doctors or nurses but of ward-boys, which is a cause for concern.

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Dr. H.Das: What special precautions do you have to take as an orthopaedic surgeon?
Dr. S.H.Shawon: There has been a marked reduction in the number of Ortho cases. All patients are screened for fever. In case of any suspicion, they are referred to dedicated COVID hospitals. During OT we use extra mask and goggles/eye shield for our protection. A big threat is patients hiding their symptoms. We need to convince people not to hide their symptoms. There is no alternative to social awareness to achieve this. And we have to keep doing this for a considerable period of time. We badly need a vaccine. Hopefully, things will improve once we have a vaccine. Pulmonary embolism is a dreaded complication of COVID-19. Many in our country have succumbed to this lethal sequel.

Dr. H.Das: Your memories of India
Dr. S.H.Shawon: I really love your country. I have noticed that in terms of healthcare, the private sector is more sophisticated than the government sector in your country .It is similar here in Bangladesh. I have spent 3 months at the Ganga Hospital in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It is an advanced orthopaedics facility. I think India has taken a lead in medical tourism. I think that tourism as a sector will flourish in your country in the future.The distinguished Consultant, Orthopaedic and Spine Surgery signs off telling me,” লাভ ইউ টু ছোট ভাই” (Love you too younger brother).

I ponder over how COVID-19 has redrawn international boundaries and also the boundaries in our mind. All nations are now looking forward for a vaccine that could save its populace from the deadly coronavirus. The sooner, the better for this globe.

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