Kailangang lumaban

By Dr. Saimah Lyn S. Mama

Anong petsa na nga ba? Ano na nga ba’ng bago sa labas? Nagma-mask pa kaya ang mga tao? These thoughts and more play in my mind from time to time when I think of emerging from the  two-year COVID-19 pandemic. But first, let me walk you through my journey as a Filipino internist in the making, while facing the different challenges brought about by the novel virus called COVID-19.

More than two years ago today, at exactly March 15, 2020, 7:00 pm, I received a call from our then training officer, who said, “Hello, Doctora. Ba bnar ah myaglock down a hospital?” (“Hello, Doctora. Totoo bang nag-lock down ang ospital?”) I said no, as I just finished seeing a patient in the ward. I asked around immediately. I was surprised to see nobody else in the otherwise crowded hallway of Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) medicine ward. I went to the ground floor and was even more surprised to see only the guards in the hospital lobby. I realized later that perhaps the lockdown would really happen soon. On the following day, most of our patients requested to go home despite of health condition. Only very few decided to be left behind.

I was part of a team of residents, junior consultants, medical specialists and subspecialists who would go on duty for three straight days. I feared for my life. I felt the vibe of an apocalypse when I looked outside the window. I was not able to see the busy street outside the hospital. I was on my third month of residency training. I thought, “Kailangang lumaban … Be brave!”

It makes me smile to remember my first out of town, face-to-face conference in Baguio for the 23^rd PCCP Midyear Convention. I was with my two colleagues, my co-senior residents. Being in a different place, seeing more colleagues gather, felt like a breath of fresh air. It was overwhelming and surreal to see and have my picture taken with other physicians I only got to watch in webinars. That experience even motivated me to finish my residency training. I dream of attending other conventions in the future as a subspecialist, God-willing.

As I write this, we are now two years into battling and trying to get out of the pandemic. Have those years been considered lost time? Maybe. Is it worth it getting back on track? Maybe. Is fighting COVID-19 worth it? Definitely yes! For we want to see the end of it, start anew with our lives, and continue to fulfill our promise and oath of becoming better physicians. I believe we will come out of this pandemic stronger.

Dr. Saimah Lyn S. Mama is from Marawi City, Lanao del Sur and is a graduate of Mindanao State University - College of Medicine, Class of 2018. In 2020, she began her Internal Medicine residency training in Amai Pakpak Medical Center. She is now the Chief Resident of the hospital’s IM department.

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