Doctor Romano Paolucci, who came out of retirement to help at a hospital in Italy’s coronavirus epicentre, says he used to see patient die in his work life. However, seeing them die alone, without a loved one by their side, often have to bid final farewell over a phone line is heart-breaking..
Dr. Romano is one of 70 doctors working long and exhausting shifts at the small Hospital.
“I would say that we are at the end of our strength. This is a small hospital and we are taking in a lot of people … capacity is filled,”
“We do not have sufficient resources and especially staff because apart from everything else, now the staff are beginning to get sick,” he said.
While medical staff work exhausting shifts of 12 hour or more and struggle to keep the patients alive, they also have to deal with the heartbreak of people dying without a loved one by their side, a measure necessary to contain the virus.
“We have started a service in which we contact relatives on the phone to explain to them what is happening. So there is at least some contact,” he said.
“Patients who are able to call themselves use their cell phones but the older patients aren’t able to because they are just not used to it. So we try and keep in contact with the family.”
Nearly every inch of the hospital has been turned over to the coronavirus emergency. Six of the nine surgeons tested positive and had to go home and the hospital had a rate of about 20 % of staff infected.
The death toll in Italy rose on Thursday to 3,405, overtaking the total number of deaths so far registered in China.
A nurse named Luca Dall’ Asta, spoke for many medical staff on the front lines.
“We have the right spirit even if we are very tired but we try and keep ourselves going amongst ourselves and give it everything we’ve got because now isn’t the time for polemics. We just have to work and move forward,” he said.
Kudos to those medical frontliners ! So everyone, if you are reside in a country with coronavirus outbreak, please practise personal hygiene and most importantly social distancing.
Source : CNA