Menjadi seorang petugas khas dibarisan hadapan untuk menangani penularan wabak COVID-19 adalah tugas yang sukar. Mereka terpaksa berhadapan dengan risiko kematian demi menyelamatkan nyawa pesakit positif COVID-19.

Perkongsian dari seorang doktor Sean Thum menggalas tanggungjawab di hospital ini sememangnya perlu dipuji dan berterima kasih atas jasa mereka berkhidmat demi Malaysia.

Demi Malaysia

Doktor ini berkongsi perasaannya apabila mendapat tahu ketika namanya dimasukkan dalam senarai pasukan Pegawai Perubatan pada 13 Mac 2020 untuk berada di barisan hadapan COVID-19 di Johor. Meskipun sedikit gentar namun, dia sudah bersedia untuk menjalankan misi ini demi negara.

When I was informed my name has been put into the pool of Medical Officers deployed to manage the front lines for the Covid-19 pandemic in Johor, I probably felt the same as Yue Fei when he received an Imperial Order by the Emperor to carry out a mission. I felt I was ready to serve my country.

When I received the call in the afternoon of the 13th of March requesting for my services immediately (okay I had a couple of hours before the reporting time at 5pm), I was ready.

On arrival, I learned that my comrades for the night were Brigette and Edward from HSI. We underwent a quick orientation session, had a simple dinner, and then started work.

Sebelum menjalankan tanggungjawab demi negara, dia hanya ada beberapa jam sahaja untuk makan malam bersama rakan dan menjalankan sesi taklimat ringkas bersama Brigette dan Edward dari Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor.

Menjalani pemeriksaan pesakit

Pada malam pertama itu, mereka bertiga diberi tanggungjawab untuk menjalankan pemeriksaan pesakit. Termasuk mengambil tahu latar belakang pesakit, mengambil sample darah, memeriksa tahap kesihatan pesakit dan mendaftar nama pesakit ke dalam sistem.

For the night, the three of us were in charge of screening patients. That included obtaining a history, performing a thorough physical examination of the patient, checking vital signs, taking throat swabs, nose swabs, and a blood sample, and also making a decision on whether the patient required admission (this was after consultation with the infectious diseases specialist on duty). We also had to register the patients’ names into the disease notification system so that we, and our colleagues doing contact tracing, would be able to locate said patients.

These are routine procedures which were able to be completed rather quickly. The element complicating this collection of data was the strict environmental conditions involved. All staff had to put on (don) personal protective equipment prior to contact with the patients. It was a tedious process which had strict rules that we had to observed. These rules are made so that our healthcare professionals don’t get infected (so we adhered to it religiously).

Pasukan ini telah menjalankan prosedur rutin bagi mempercepatkan urusan. Dia turut berkongsi cabaran untuk mengumpulkan data pesakit adalah perkara rumit disebabkan persekitaran. Semua kakitangan dan petugas dikehendaki memakai alat perlindungan peribadi sebelum bersentuhan dengan pesakit. Peraturan ini dibuat adalah untuk menghindari penyebaran virus berkenaan.

Banyak lapisan perlu dipakai

Semua doktor dan petugas diwajibkan memakai banyak lapisan pakaian bagi mengelakkan penularan wabak berkenaan. Tidak dinafikan, pemakaian sebegini sememangnya panas. Mungkin anda juga tidak merasakan peredaran udara di sekeliling. Semua kakitangan yang terlibat perlu memakai topeng muka jenis N95.

There were layers after layers of stuff to put on, and it had to be donned in the right sequence. You eventually end up in a spacesuit-like situation (refer cover pic). It was warm and stuffy.

When wore right, you don’t feel the movement of air around you. The suit is tight on you, limiting your movement. The N95 mask fits tightly to your jaw, trapping your heat and moisture in that region. Breathing could get a little difficult, especially because you are basically breathing in your own exhale!

Two hours later I emerged (after a similarly lengthy doffing sequence) drenched in my sweat. It was as if I had a personal sauna session while I carried out my duty. Bear in mind I was working at 8pm in the evening. Imagine what my colleagues who worked in the afternoon had to go through!

Once we were ‘free’ of our confinements, we hurried to the pantry where downed cups after cups of water (we were dehydrated after the session of sauna). The chlorhexidine bath was refreshing, and could not be more welcomed. This pandemic isn’t going away so soon.

Sedangkan bekerja pada sekitar 8 malam dengan memakai pakaian berkenaan sudah merasai panas apatah lagi kakitangan yang lain yang bekerja di waktu siang, ibarat berada dalam sauna. Setelah tamat waktu operasi, kesemua staf menanggalkan pakaian berkenaa dan ke pantri untuk meneguk beberapa cawan air akibat kehausan.

Kerja ini tidak mudah

Sumber foto: CCTN

Sean Thum mengambil kesempatan ini mengucapkan terima kasih kepada semua petugas yang bertanggungjawab dalam operasi ini. Misi ini tidak mudah dan dia berharap dapat menyumbang apa sahaja jasa sebagai barisan hadapan.

Here, I would like to record my appreciation to my colleagues who have been part of the efforts since Day One of our response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is not easy, and I hope to contribute whatever I can as part of the frontliners for the remainder of my shift at this hospital.

We wish all Malaysians (and human beings all over the world) good health as we face this pandemic. Please practice good hand hygiene (wash your hands!). Please practice good cough etiquette (cover your mouth when you cough!). Please drink more water. Eat nutritiously. Take care of yourself.

Please report yourself to the healthcare services/authorities if you have symptoms such as fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Had close contact with a patient tested positive for Covid-19 or had visited a region which was reported to have an outbreak. This pandemic will pass, eventually. But before that, we all have to work together to overcome the challenges it throws at us. Remember, the virus does not discriminate on who it infects. Let’s work hand in hand, together.

Selain itu, dia turut menasihati semua masyarakat untuk sentiasa mengamalkan kesihatan dengan membasuh tangan, tutup mulut sekiranya anda batuk, minum banyak air dan makan makanan yang berkhasiat. Anda juga diingatkan untuk melaporkan ke mana-mana pusat/ hospital kesihatan sekiranya mempunyai simptom demam, batuk dan kesukaran bernafas.

Laporkan kesihatan anda juga sekiranya berhubung dengan pesakit yang positif COVID-19. Anda diseru untuk memberi kerjasama dalam menangani penularan wabak ini.

Sumber: Sean Thum