Actor Satyajit Dubey On Coping With A Covid-19 Mother

Satyajit Dubey, grandson of the legendary stage  actor-director Satyadev Dubey is in the news  for his  mother being  infected with the  Covid -19 virus.

Reliving the nightmare of detecting the virus Satyajit says, “It started when she  needed an MRI and  ECG done as she was not feeling well. The doctors  suggested we get her tested for  the virus. She  tested positive. My  sister and I were in a panic. Our world fell apart.Luckily we  had  the means to get her  admitted  into the Nanavati hospital where she’s getting the best  treatment possible. But what about   those  who aren’t so  fortunate?  Even to be tested  for  the virus costs  Rs 5,000.How many  can afford that?”

Satyajit says  the  experience has been an eye-opener  for him.  “Though my mother is  being well looked after, the medicare  infrastructure in India is abysmal. We need  to look into  this far more seriously. The hospitals and the medical  fraternity were  just not  prepared  to take  on  the  virus when it struck.”

Satyajit’s mom is on the way to recovery.  “She  phones from the  hospital to say she is  not worried about herself. She’s  worried  about the doctors who  are toiling day and night  to look after the  infected patients risking their own  lives.”

Satyajit says it is time  for every healthy Indian to  do what they can. “Sadly  in this entertainment industry there is a tendency to  talk about the  charity  work. My grandmother  used to say, ‘When  you give with your right hand  the left hand shouldn’t know what you’re doing.’All of us are doing what we can.Specially  now when we’ve experienced the  impact  of the virus from such close  quarters  we  know  the  gravity  of  the situation. It can  hit any one  of us a any time. No one is safe.”