This is the second of a two-part series on healthcare workers who put their lives on the line every day to save ours
OUR frontliners, the true heroes of the fight against Covid-19, have certainly been put to the test time and again, and many have made personal sacrifices in playing their crucial role in fighting the pandemic.
Here, some frontliners share their experiences.
Dr Densearn Seo (Class of 2011)
Medical advisor for Drop Bio
In joining the pandemic response, I found myself working in one of the Covid-19 wards. The experience as a frontliner is certainly exhilarating yet somewhat distressing.
Having the extra bit of medical knowledge in a pandemic for a novel disease does not put healthcare workers at much of an advantage and working within the confines of the Covid-19 ward will not necessarily make me an expert in the field either.
In reality, it can be rather daunting (that we know a fair bit yet so little at the same time) especially in the early stages with minimal evidence and also demoralising when the public was not heeding advice for social and physical distancing initially.
Australia has managed the pandemic well to date.
Perhaps the most challenging part of managing the Covid-19 ward for me is when dealing with the many uncertainties and unverified social media claims brought up by those within the healthcare and non-healthcare sectors.
Another challenging and moving situation for me involved a terminal patient receiving palliative care (suspected Covid-19 pending results) in the ward who passed away before the test results were back.
The patient spent her last moments on Earth surrounded by healthcare workers in full PPE, instead of her loved ones.
Dr Muhammad Syaukat bin Bahari
Klinik Kesihatan Kundasang, Ranau, Sabah
My colleagues and I work in the primary healthcare setting, which involves educating and screening the public and identifying people at risk of contracting Covid-19.
We also collect samples of persons under investigation (PUIs) from reputable clinics and other healthcare centres.
I think my biggest challenge is the fear of contracting the disease and spreading it to my loved ones back home.
Sometimes, I resort to sleeping in a different place from my wife and daughter just to be sure.
I hope for the pandemic to end soon so we can go back to our default lives as quickly as possible.
Dr Abdullah Muhaimin (Class of 2014)
Emergency and Trauma Unit, Hospital Tawau
Those working in the emergency department are the gatekeepers of the hospital.
This means anyone with or without Covid-19 will have to pass through us first.
With the increase in Covid-19 cases, one must remember that other cases like dengue or myocardial infarction do not simply stop to make way for a pandemic.
Therefore, it takes proper management to keep the emergency department running smoothly in this time of need.
During my free time, my wife and I will head to the infection control unit to help make personal protective equipment (PPE). We are not professional tailors, but we make hoods, boot covers and many more to ensure that our hospital's supplies are sustained.
After my shift, I am usually involved in discussions with friends and seniors from the peninsula.
I am the Sabah state coordinator for IMAM Response and Relief Team (IMARET), an NGO that focuses on medical-based volunteer works.
We are responsible for helping bridge the gaps in PPE supply amongst government hospitals in Sabah by collecting data from them and facilitating with the state/federal government, NGOs and corporate companies (Mercy, MRA, POS Malaysia, Yayasan Khazanah etc) to procure what is needed by the hospitals.
Our main objective is to ensure a sustainable and continuous supply of PPE, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.
I believe that working during operating hours is my responsibility, and those after hours are for my country.
I hope that God will protect my family, as I put my efforts to protecting others.
When this pandemic is over (yes it will!), I will be home to see my family and celebrate with them.
Dr Ken Lee Wan (Class of 2015)
Pathology Registrar at Monash Health, VIC, Australia
I'm part of a team that assists clinicians in diagnosing and monitoring patients' conditions associated with SARS-CoV-2.
At Monash, staff temperatures are checked upon arrival using thermal scanners while enabling appropriate social distancing.
There has been a marked improvement in terms of hand hygiene amongst staff and visitors and an increased number of hand sanitising points throughout the hospitals.
Non-microbial testing of non-respiratory specimens (blood and urine) is handled with the usual standard precautions (hand hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment such as laboratory coats/gowns, gloves and eye protection) where possible using automated analysers.
On the other hand, respiratory samples are processed in a PC2 laboratory and with the use of a Class II biosafety cabinet for aerosol-generating procedures and processing of faecal samples.
I hope a vaccine will be made available to the public very soon and we can end this Covid-19 pandemic for good.
Dr Wong Jun Yet (Class of 2012)
I'm a physician serving in a district hospital in Johor, and I have been covering a nearby designated Covid-19 hospital from time to time.
While managing Covid-19 patients has its own set of challenges, the most difficult situation for me, perhaps, is isolation from my family. I have not been home or seen my two-year old son for weeks now.
Having said that, it is heartwarming to see healthcare workers supporting each other in the fight against the pandemic.
I've also had the pleasure to work with some of the most dedicated and inspiring figures in the field during this period.
I hope that someday when this is over, I can sit down and finally enjoy some stay-at-home time with my family and get that long-overdue haircut!
Monash University Malaysia is exceptionally grateful to all the frontliners who have been risking their lives to save ours.
Let's honour their sacrifices by committing to all efforts that will end this pandemic.
Wear a mask, practise physical distancing and clean your hands frequently to help fight Covid-19. It's time to heal together.
Read the first part of this series that was published on Dec 10 in The Star.