As the fight against Covid-19 will be a long-drawn one, TODAY’s Voices section hopes to shine a light on the triumphs and struggles of Singapore’s front-line workers by publishing their first-hand accounts.

In this instalment of Voices from the Front Lines, Dr Ubaidullah Shaik Dawood of Sengkang General Hospital writes about the importance of vigilance, hard work and leadership as his team keeps the coronavirus at bay.

I am under no illusion that we have won the battle against Covid-19.

We are not even close, but I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to lead some incredibly selfless, relentless and hardworking junior doctors, nurses and non-medics through this outbreak at Sengkang General Hospital (SKH).

I am a nephrologist and have been involved in managing the first few patients diagnosed with Covid-19 at SKH since early February. Since then, we have been gradually seeing more coronavirus patients at the hospital.

The virus was getting closer to us than we had realised. We have been battling this pandemic since the start of the year and it has now almost become the new normal.

To be sure, fear and uncertainty initially crept into my mind. I started to doubt my own compliance with hand hygiene practices and if I had worn my mask properly.

Was there a possibility that I could be infected? What will happen to my junior doctors and nurses in the ward? 

As a senior doctor with juniors under my wing, my sense of responsibility and accountability has set in.

It is an opportunity for me to inspire fellow healthcare workers through hard work and leadership. Together, we can motivate one another and keep our spirits high to avoid burnout. 

We quickly embraced the new normal. Lots of changes happen rapidly, and everyone has adapted to the changes in policies and practices.

Crucially, we must maintain the relentlessness in our pursuit to keep high standards of practice at all times, individually and collectively as front-line healthcare workers.

We must be vigilant, be it at washing hands, using sanitiser or wearing masks and other personal protective equipment properly. Communication is also key, particularly when updating the families of patients.

It goes without saying that my family, too, was very worried at first, especially after my contact with a patient who tested positive for the coronavirus.

My wife being a doctor helped to tackle some of the basic issues at home, such as reminding our children to wash their hands regularly, encouraging them to practise good hand hygiene and wearing masks appropriately. We also taught them the right way to sneeze and cough in public, which is into the elbow.

What do I miss most? My kids and their warm hugs when they welcome me home from work.

Covid-19 has changed some rules at home. Now there are no hugs at the door.

We also miss having a cup of coffee with our colleagues where we sit, relax and reflect on our work.

We are doing our best to get through this tough period in history. Everyone has a part to play in this fight by staying at home, practising safe distancing and being socially responsible. We can only beat this together. 

ABOUT THE WRITER:

Dr Ubaidullah Shaik Dawood, 40, is a consultant in the department of renal medicine at Sengkang General Hospital.

If you are on the front lines of the Covid-19 outbreak or know someone who wishes to contribute to this series, write to voices [at] mediacorp.com.sg with your full name, address and phone number.