Amidst worsening coronavirus crisis, many doctors from the city have chose to close their clinics fearing the virus infection while few have started online consultation. However Dr. Yogesh Suresh Bhaleroa from Vikhroli is not only checking patients free of cost but also conducting camps to find possible COVID19 patients. So far Bhalerao has treated over 10,000 people for free.
"At the time of crisis when COVID19 cases are increasing rapidly, pressure on doctors and civic hospitals has increased tremendously. This is a time of service to nation and that is what I am doing and will continue to do so until this crisis ends," said Bhalerao.
In last two months of lockdown dr. Bhalerao has treated more than 10,000 patients for free. "After treating patients free for first three lockdowns even i started facing financial crisis so I started charging minimum amount at the begining of lockdown 4.0. However I realised that people just don't have enough money and whatever they are paying me could help them to survive for few more days, so I again stopped charging fees," he added. His wife Savita is also a doctor and runs her own clinic.
After COVID-19 cases increased, Dr Bhalerao started to undertake camps in slums areas where his team of two volunteers and a nurse pre-screened patients.
In the camps temperature, pulses, their medical history are being checked in addition to SPO2 levels (Oxygen level in blood). Recently, he sent one person for the COVID19 test as his SPO2 level was below the mark, who later tested for COVID19.
They have conducted multiple camps in Vikhroli's Shiv Chaya Rahivasi Sangh, Panthar Nagar, Hariyali Village, Tagor Nagar and Kannamear Nagar and have screened 1,600 people.
