Dr Marzia, an epitome of no compromise on profession during pandemic

At the onset of Covid-19 pandemic in early March last year, many professionals got a chance to discharge their duties from home but the frontline fighters especially the medical professionals did not step backward.

Dr BM Marzia is one of the many doctors who have set precedence of service and commitment to their profession. She joined Atghoria upazila health complex in Pabna as medical officer on December, 15, 2019, leaving her two and half months' old baby at home. Marzia, a caesarian mother, performed her duty from the very beginning of the pandemic, without taking any leave.

While she was busy attending her patients at the hospital, her newborn baby was fed artificial food at home for many days at the beginning of the pandemic.

"When the pandemic set in the country in March last year, I was worried about the safety of my child because both my husband and I are in medical profession attending ailing patients at hospital.

But I attended my patients taking best precautionary measures and never evaded my duty for my newborn baby." Dr Marzia said.

"Due to commuting to the hospital from Pabna town, my newborn baby was fed artificial food for many days at the beginning of pandemic," she said.

"After struggling for few days commuting to and from the hospital, the hospital authority allotted a room at the hospital dormitory for me. Now, we are living in the dormitory together," she also said.

"Feeding my baby, I to come to the hospital and attend patients. During break of my work, I go to the dormitory for few minutes to feed my baby and return to duty. In this way, I am trying to maintain balance between my professional life and personal life without any compromise." Dr. Marzia said.

"Although I have faced crises at my personal life, the pandemic has brought a greater crisis to the national life and we doctors are frontline fighters. I feel proud serving people during the crisis period," she added.

Dr Md Rafikul Hasan, health and family planning officer in Atghoria upazila, said Dr Marzia has set an inspiring example to the other medical practitioners.

"As a newly appointed doctor, Dr Marzia never compromised with her profession. She did not seek any leave for her newborn baby because of her commitment to the profession. As a frontline fighter, Dr Marzia is a brave soldier. We feel proud of her." Dr. Rafikul added.