Nagaland: A year since lockdown: Health workers reflect

March 23, 2021 50 Views No Comment

Atono Tsükrü Kense
Kohima | March 22

A year ago on this day, the COVID-19 induced lockdown was imposed in Nagaland. What followed was an unforgettable year of isolation, hunger, despair and distress on one hand, and the overwhelming outpouring of humanity from all corners on the other.

Stepping into the first anniversary of the lockdown, a message, which has gone viral on social media, rings true as people remember the frontline workers who relentlessly fought to contain the virus.

The message reads: “History will remember this war. A war that was fought by doctors not soldiers. A war that was fought with soap and not guns. A war that was fought by keeping distance not contact. A war that was fought at home not in the battlefield.’

The battle has been hard for the health workers as they had to overcome several challenges—from lack of PPEs, little medical equipments and infrastructure, shortage of man power, stigma and discrimination etc.

With the fight against the virus being far from over, health workers from across the state looked back and shared their experiences. Theirs is a story of bravery, persistence and courage.

Experienced true calling
“I experienced true calling to our noble job,” said Bendangsenla I Jamir, a staff nurse from Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital, Mokokchung adding “it has been a challenging year both physically and mentally to face an unusual new mode of treatment and responsibilities.”

Over the past year, she was involved in administering medication, monitoring patients, providing psychological counselling, and ensuring the patients and returnees adhered to the treatment.

“As a health worker and a parent staying away from home for prolonged period was another challenging,” said Jamir wherein she has been told by her family to quit her job, yet she stood her ground of serving humanity.

The past year, she said has taught her to be steadier and build up her confidence as a health worker.

Rebuilding faith and hope
For Rita, a staff nurse from Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK), the past year was the “most crucial” phase of her career spanning 21 years.

“As I stepped on my Covid duty as the first team of Naga Hospital Kohima, I had a mix feeling about leaving home. I felt privileged for being a helpful resource to the people in curbing the outbreak and treating the patients, yet, at the same time I had the fear of being infected, infecting others and also not being able to return home,” she recalled.

“We were challenged by working in a totally new context where our utmost duty was fully responsible for the patients’ well-being. We had heavy workloads which caused exhaustion and wearing PPEs for long hours led to suffocation. Our moods fluctuated with the patients’ condition. We even had to provide emotional support to them as we were treating patients and not just the virus,” said Rita.

She also recalled that it was hard to see people being isolated from their loved ones, with medical staff in PPEs as their only companions, which Rita feared could lead to psychological issues. “Seeing this, no matter how busy we were, we made sure to put efforts in comforting the patients” she said.

She also remembered with pain the stigmatisation of the health workers. “At times, as health workers, were stigmatised by the people. Their way of thinking discouraged and even hurt us emotionally, after all we are also human beings” Rita stated.

“Overall, though we were stressed and tense, we were able to tackle the situation because of team work and also for the sincere contributions and hard work put by my team members,” she exclaimed.

Despite the stress, she said the battle against the pandemic helped her rebuild her faith and taught her a life lesson that “we are all equal since the virus does not infect based on religion, culture, or status.”

Another take away lesson for her was to love and appreciate the little things in life, and the importance of health hygiene, which she admitted was only felt after the outbreak of the pandemic. Rita advised that people should continue to practice the basic hygiene measures to keep one healthy and safe.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/nagaland-a-year-since-lockdown-health-workers-reflect