Srinagar: I did an emergency ERCP at SKIMS on a sick dying patient on July 10th along with my other technical staff and doctors assisting me. This patient was tested for COVID on the 8th and was negative.
During ERCP we found that his patient has an unusual biliary disease ( portal biliopathy) with a lot of stones blocking the drainage of bile from his bile duct. This had resulted in pus formation in the liver bile ducts leading to septicemia. This patient would have died if the emergency ERCP was not done to drain the obstructed bile ducts.
Many stones were removed and a unique metallic retrievable stent was placed in the bile duct. Frank pus started coming out of the bile duct through the stent. Pt was planned for repeat ERCP after few days to remove some leftover stones. On 12th July this pt was tested again for COVID. On 14th July pt was again sick because of leftover stones that had blocked the stent. The patient was again taken for emergency ERCP to save his life. I along with my other colleagues and technical staff risked our own lives to save this young patient as the COVID test report was yet to come.
On both occasions of doing emergency ERCP, all of us used all the possible requisite protective gears (PPEs).
On 14th evening this patient tested positive for covid.
The community medicine department started the contact tracing and as per their protocol, we are supposed to be tested after day 5.
So the question of evading testing by HOD is refuted with full strength.
It also needs to be cleared that if all protective gears are used while doing any emergency procedure then testing is required only in case someone gets symptoms.
Rather than appreciating my work along with my other team members, it is disgusting to read the trash published in newspapers and posted on social media by some media personnel at the behest of some mischievous sources at SKIMS who have always damaged the image of SKIMS for their vested interests.
How can a HOD or any of his team members risk the lives of their families by evading testing?
We should have received prayers for our commendable job in saving the life of a young man rather than getting derogatory remarks that I am roaming in the hospital with the Director. Hospitals may be roaming places for those who don’t contribute anything in the patient care even during these testing times but not for me and my team who were involved in managing this patient.
This is high time that media fraternity becomes honest and transparent in reporting their stories in this COVID crisis. I don’t blame the media people directly because they are fed wrongly by the insiders in the hospital to settle their personal scores with the administration but media people need to verify their stories from alternative sources as well to make it credible and truthful.
Who stopped this reporter from contacting HOD Gastroenterology and Director SKIMS to get the factual position.
We all salute the COVID warriors these days but non Covid warriors are doing equally great job in saving the lives of patients with non covid diseases. If you don’t like to appreciate our work but you have no right to depreciate us despite risking our lives in saving the patients.
