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( Tale 4 of healers suffering themselves )
The earlier tales of healers suffering thy selves were not because of their profession. It just happened that they were in healthcare profession and were victims of the virus too. But Dr. Sagar Ratna’s tale is of pure professional hazard. After attaining his MBBS, he decided to try his luck in Nigeria , often referred to as the “Giant of Africa”, owing to its large population and economy. With approximately 184 million inhabitants, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world. The country is viewed as a multinational state, as it is inhabited by over 500 ethnic groups.
The earlier tales of healers suffering thy selves were not because of their profession. It just happened that they were in healthcare profession and were victims of the virus too. But Dr. Sagar Ratna’s tale is of pure professional hazard. After attaining his MBBS, he decided to try his luck in Nigeria , often referred to as the “Giant of Africa”, owing to its large population and economy. With approximately 184 million inhabitants, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world. The country is viewed as a multinational state, as it is inhabited by over 500 ethnic groups.
Choosing that land as his work place was a choice by design as some of his family was there. Once he reached foreign shores , he made it his own home. Soon he became known for his extraordinary medical and surgical skills. To the alien country natives ,he was ,what Dr. Kotnis was to Chinese. Dr. Kotnis was sent to China during the Second World War to provide medical assistance to the troops fighting against the Japanese invasion in Yenan province.
While in China Kotnis met and courted a Chinesegirl Ching Lan. His main triumph was curing a virulent plague. Eventually he succumbed to the plague himself.
Dr. Sagar’s story was not much different from Kotnis. The only difference, was that he was not sent by anyone , he did not court a Nigerian national. Period.
The similarity was ,Kotnis succumbed to a disease he was curing in Chinese people, Sagar succumbed to a disease he contracted by helping Nigerians.
When we met first , he told me ,” you are lucky doc, you work with so many facilities at your back and call. I was not that lucky and used to operate at times even without gloves, with bare hands. Nigeria was not that rich then but the spirit to serve the nationals of my second home was rich in me”. Dr. Sagar went on to tell his Saga of contracting the virus. He told that he was active till the age of 65 years that is 2003 and it was during a camp held in a Tribal area that he got injured while amputating the arm of a HIV patient. He took the Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)against HIV as per recommendations of his co professionals dealing with HIV. Got the tests done too. But PEP Could not prevent ,the punishment ,of his carelessness. He contracted the virus.
He came to India , in the meantime for a vacation. One day during his vacations, he had a seizure. Friends admitted him in a hospital specializing in neurological disorders. Radiological investigations did not bring a good news , neither did the hematological evaluation. He was once again confirmed to have HIV. Shunning to keep such patients , even if the patient was a doctor ,the neurologist took no time in passing the buck.
He referred him to me , being the sole HIV physician in the area. I asked for more tests to evaluate his virological and immunological parameters. He was put on antiretroviral drugs. I started him with best possible 3 drugs combination available at that time ( d4T, 3 TC, & EFV) , one of which drugs ( d4T) is now extinct. His roller coaster ride between life and death hanged in neurological uncertainties. Deteriorating conditions forced me to add Indinavir , a protease inhibitor ( again a drug which is extinct today from ARV scene ). Six years he lingered on and kept telling me type of cases he used to handle in Nigeria. I used to enjoy the experiences he used to share and learnt also. The most important lesson ,I learnt , from this veteran doctor ,was that a hurry of a minute spent on wearing gloves can not save any life , it may however , jeopardize your own life. New costly PI’s ( Loprinavir plus Ritonavir) were added to save his wrecking ship in 2008.
I saw him last on day one of new year , year 2009.
I ,really don’t have to guess much ,about the final outcome of a doctor. He must be my first patient who gave away his life to the profession and succumbed to the virus which he procured as a professional hazard. He was another Kotnis in my eyes. May his soul Rest In Peace.
Rakesh Bharti
While in China Kotnis met and courted a Chinesegirl Ching Lan. His main triumph was curing a virulent plague. Eventually he succumbed to the plague himself.
Dr. Sagar’s story was not much different from Kotnis. The only difference, was that he was not sent by anyone , he did not court a Nigerian national. Period.
The similarity was ,Kotnis succumbed to a disease he was curing in Chinese people, Sagar succumbed to a disease he contracted by helping Nigerians.
When we met first , he told me ,” you are lucky doc, you work with so many facilities at your back and call. I was not that lucky and used to operate at times even without gloves, with bare hands. Nigeria was not that rich then but the spirit to serve the nationals of my second home was rich in me”. Dr. Sagar went on to tell his Saga of contracting the virus. He told that he was active till the age of 65 years that is 2003 and it was during a camp held in a Tribal area that he got injured while amputating the arm of a HIV patient. He took the Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)against HIV as per recommendations of his co professionals dealing with HIV. Got the tests done too. But PEP Could not prevent ,the punishment ,of his carelessness. He contracted the virus.
He came to India , in the meantime for a vacation. One day during his vacations, he had a seizure. Friends admitted him in a hospital specializing in neurological disorders. Radiological investigations did not bring a good news , neither did the hematological evaluation. He was once again confirmed to have HIV. Shunning to keep such patients , even if the patient was a doctor ,the neurologist took no time in passing the buck.
He referred him to me , being the sole HIV physician in the area. I asked for more tests to evaluate his virological and immunological parameters. He was put on antiretroviral drugs. I started him with best possible 3 drugs combination available at that time ( d4T, 3 TC, & EFV) , one of which drugs ( d4T) is now extinct. His roller coaster ride between life and death hanged in neurological uncertainties. Deteriorating conditions forced me to add Indinavir , a protease inhibitor ( again a drug which is extinct today from ARV scene ). Six years he lingered on and kept telling me type of cases he used to handle in Nigeria. I used to enjoy the experiences he used to share and learnt also. The most important lesson ,I learnt , from this veteran doctor ,was that a hurry of a minute spent on wearing gloves can not save any life , it may however , jeopardize your own life. New costly PI’s ( Loprinavir plus Ritonavir) were added to save his wrecking ship in 2008.
I saw him last on day one of new year , year 2009.
I ,really don’t have to guess much ,about the final outcome of a doctor. He must be my first patient who gave away his life to the profession and succumbed to the virus which he procured as a professional hazard. He was another Kotnis in my eyes. May his soul Rest In Peace.
Rakesh Bharti
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