AMU doc under Covid home-quarantine continues to treat patients via telemedicine

Agra: Dr Mohammad Shameem, a professor at the department of TB and Chest Diseases of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) under Aligarh Muslim University takes his Hippocratic oath very seriously. Quarantined at home after he tested positive for coronavirus, he continues to provide medical advice and treatment to patients, using telemedicine.

Prof Shameem, whose infection is asymptotic, is connecting directly with JNMC healthcare staff on video to give advice on Covid patients admitted in the isolation ward, and non-Covid patients in the respiratory ward of JNMC.

“It’s emotionally draining, but doctors are supposed to save lives and we will continue to do so, no matter what,” said Prof Shameem.

He added it is important to survive the pandemic and believes Covid positive doctors who are home quarantined, can use gadgets like laptops, desktops, telephones and smartphones to give consultations to patients.

He said the fear of getting infected was always present, but as a doctor working in a global medical emergency, he had to keep such negative thoughts at bay and continue to serve humanity.

“The experience of successfully treating Covid patients at JNMC, including those who are critically ill, makes me confident that I will recover from the infection,” he said.

“So far, 27 Covid-19 patients have fully-recovered and have been discharged from JNMC,” said Prof Shahid Ali Siddiqui, principal, JNMC.