Jyothi Venkatesh

Dr. Ravi Godse, MD Medicine from KEM, Bombay and MD from University of Pittsburgh has been practicing medicine for the past 20 years. Though is he not an infectious disease expert, he is an internist, General Medicine Adult Specialist.Dr. Ravi Godse believes that ‘Knowledge is Power” but the right one “I am sure you are more tired of Corona virus than I am. I am going to make some different points, about doctors. I live in the United States for past 25 years and I don’t have firsthand knowledge of India, so what I am saying could be important, at least interesting, because I am giving a detached view”

Third year medical students who are close to competition can be requested to join the work force. I think the medical students would want to do it on their own. In 1993 during Mumbai blasts I was the ER resident on call and without me saying anything, each and every medical student on KEM campus was standing with should to shoulder with us on the front line. Medical students will step up. This is not the time or the place to ask anything in return. And they are not asking. I am suggesting, that let us surprise them by releasing them from the required bond. They would serve tirelessly and honorably, regardless. I am suggesting that it would be a nice gesture to offer.

Let me make another controversial point. My movie “Remember Amnesia” was released last tear in India and I got a lot of grief from my friends about the message in the end. It was about Indian traffic and it just asked people to be nicer. Not sure, what was controversial. Compared to that, what I have to say now is way more controversial. Patients need help. Doctors are there. No questions asked. Suppose it continues for 2 months or so, let us consider the doctors who are in private practice, who employ a lot of people, maintain nursing homes, pay rents etc. Sure, they have some money saved. Sure, they are doing well. Sure, they are not looking to make money in this crisis.

Realistically if it continues for 2 months, and if OPDs are still closed, those patients who can afford, can do paid telephone consultations. HIPPA privacy compliant video call systems can be set up very easily. This happened in the USA on day 1 of the shut down, we got the codes for telephone consultation. Please don’t take me in a wrong way. Private doctors are not going to qualify for any kind of handout. 50 lakh insurance is an excellent scheme by the Government. This is a suggestion for future, if the lockdown continues. And after everything comes back down to normal, being reimbursed for a prolonged phone conversation, I think is reasonable.

Let me end with, I think a useful tip. I actually read it somewhere on What’saap. Whats app is driving me nuts. Misery likes company. One dooms day prediction after another. My advice to friends/patients is to get the news from CDC.gov or Health Ministry site, if you have symptoms, call your doctor, maybe with new telephonic consultation and use Whatsapp for forwarding jokes that are not even funny the first time around! Anyway, here is the tip. Try and use your non dominant hand consciously when you touch any surface, so if you end up touching your face subconsciously, it will likely be with your dominate unexposed hand. I am sure there will be a joke about this, Sanjeev Kumar and Sholay on what’s app very soon.