Indian doctor Yadu Singh, who resides in Sydney, Australia, is trying to help his relatives suffering from the worsening COVID-19 pandemic in India. He is providing life-saving medical guidance over the phone, text messages, and video calls from thousands of kilometers away.
At 4 am in Eastern Australia, this veteran cardiologist successfully secured a hospital bed for his sister's husband. The patient still faced an 8-hour journey from New Delhi to where he could finally find oxygen and thus have a chance for survival. Like many Indian expatriates, Singh watched in horror as the health situation in India deteriorated, with more than 360,000 people infected daily.
Singh told AFP from his office in a suburb of Sydney, "The last four or five days have been extremely difficult and have posed tremendous challenges," adding, "In reality, we can't do much while sitting 10,000 kilometers away." The Indian community in Australia considered sending medical supplies like oxygen machines, but Singh knew it would be difficult to acquire them, and their delivery to India would take a long time, with little impact given the massive number of infections.
However, thanks to his medical training and connections, Singh felt he was in a better position to help. Since last week or earlier, he had been making calls and utilizing his network to assist friends and relatives throughout India. Singh sent a CT scan via WhatsApp to an Australian respiratory specialist and fellow classmate, enabling the latter to advise a local doctor on more effective treatment.
Singh noted, "I think this treatment was vital. Thank God for WhatsApp." He also provided behind-the-scenes advice on temperature levels, oxygen saturation, when to go to the hospital, and when to take paracetamol. One morning at 3:30 am, a person from his network in California contacted him via Twitter for advice about a sick aunt. He facilitated communication about her case to a member of Parliament in New Delhi who could help her receive treatment.
Later, Singh received a message from that individual saying, "My aunt is better. Thank you so much. You saved her life." Singh remarked, "I can’t treat people in Australia. Without seeing the patient, I can only guide them on what to do." He added, "This is what we can do from this distant place: guide them, help them, and give them hope."
However, sometimes that was not enough. When the oxygen saturation level of his sister's husband's mother was at 80%, 15 percentage points below normal levels, Singh called a local hospital director, a former colleague, for help. Singh recounted, "He told me he would try to help, but (there was) no bed in the ICU. Half an hour later, she died because it is impossible to survive with 80% oxygen." He continued, "It is very painful. I knew her personally. Her brother was my classmate. We feel helpless and desperate. I lost three relatives… one passed away last night."
Singh fears that political mismanagement means the situation in India will worsen. Faced with what he describes as a "disastrous situation," he is now trying to follow the Hindu teaching: "Do your duty, do not worry about the outcome." That evening, as he mentioned, this duty takes the form of a virtual seminar on Zoom where he wants to convey the key message to families: "Please wear masks, wash your hands, and get tested."
