Unexpected reality!!- An experience worth experiencing.
Hello world!
Hope all of you are fine out there. In this pandemic, year 2020 has been a major change for everyone in this world.
Here is a short story of some unexpected reality, a jaw dropping truth!!
It was a slightly abnormal morning to me on October 16th, 2020 where I got ready for my work and I was about to leave my house. My body started not to support me all of a sudden and I started feeling weak. I took off from my work and I decided to rest for the remaining hours of the day.
I was feeling ok that evening and again the next day which was Saturday, I again had to take off since I developed some more weakness. The next day was very crucial for me. I was down with viral fever the entire Sunday as well as on Monday! I took complete rest and some medication too. Thanks to my neighborhood Doctor who assisted me with some good tablets.
On 20th of October, I decided to go for Covid-19 test. My major concern was a dilemma between private testing and test done by Government of Karnataka. My father took a chance to take the test done by the Govt. which is BBMP here in Bangalore, Karnataka. BBMP people came to my apartment place to test us and trust me they were so organised!! 4 people from the government had come who were-
1. Health officer
2. Female head nurse
3. Covid test expert
4. Data collecting employee
Health officer asked me about the history of my health as well as my recent travel history details. Head nurse was giving me guidelines on what has to be done if I test positive and also she was suggesting me about few other details. Now comes the Covid test expert, she was carrying a new unopened hand gloves, a new swab test kit and few new tubes to carry the specimen collected. They collected the samples so impeccably and the data was also collected and stored so well.
21st October early morning I got a text message and a call around 6 am saying I was tested positive. They even sent me a link where I could check my test results and even take print out if I needed. Health department called me to inform me the same and there after I received so many calls from BBMP (Govt) enquiring about my health condition and asking me about my medicines also they guided me on how to get isolated and how to be quarantined and all of it. I was quiet shocked as well as surprised because of the care from the government side was truly unexpected!! And the test which was done to me was absolutely free of cost. I was always under the impression that government was not at all performing well in this pandemic. But it awestruck me for few days experiencing their care towards my health.
After week, I thought I will get tested again to see if it is negative (test was totally not necessary). This time I got it tested from a private lab. They charged me Rs. 1200 for a swab test and Rs. 400 extra for home service. Their swab test expert came after calling him multiple times, he himself was not so hygiene and he had just dumped his testing kit in his back pack and he started taking out in his bare hands first and later he put his gloves (may be a used one). Swab test was pathetic, he hurt my nose while taking the sample. I was annoyed. He collected the money and left.
For knowing my test result, I had to call them again and asked them to mail me my test report. Finally they sent me my report which of course was positive. Surprisingly these details again has to be updated to the government. None of the private testing agency called me asking about my health even once! They in fact suggested me to get admitted to any private hospitals and offered me some discounts. It was a nonsensical act. Government was the one called me again based on my report and started caring about my health.
I was so much misguided by the media, social media posts and comments about mismanagement from government side. My pseudo belief was swept away by the BBMP so well, I thank all of them for doing such services in and around yet gets unrecognized by the media and mentality of the citizens!
PS: I am not in support of any political party or against any private medical services.
I just expressed my views on the experience that I had so far. Getting tested from private or from the government is up to the individual concern. Tastes and preferences differ!!