Those who die to save millions

As thousands of people are at risk and afraid of the novel coronavirus, thousands of other people volunteer to go into the epicentre of the outbreak to save lives.

As thousands of people are at risk and afraid of the novel coronavirus, thousands of other people volunteer to go into the epicentre of the outbreak to save lives.

 

Dr Cao Xiao Ying

The death toll from the coronavirus rose to 213 in China and 9,480 infection cases have been reported worldwide by January 30. The whole world is wary of the new outbreak starting from Wuhan City, China. But also during such an urgent time, thousands of people are willing to go to the front line with little care about the dangers in order to control the epidemic.

They are doctors and scientists. They are the "white angels" from all over the world that are going to Wuhan. This is not the first and probably not the last time they took such risks because illnesses persist. Many doctors and nurses have died during such fights but no one backs down.

In the past days, a letter from 56-year-old Dr Cao Xiao Ying from the Hunan centre for infectious diseases has been shared around on the internet and moved many people.

This is an excerpt from the letter:

"Son, have you ever looked at the eyes of the patients and their families' members? They always looked at me with utmost trust and desire to live. I understand their pain and the torture they had to face... I love you 100% but I can't spend all of my time for you. I know the dangers of this work, I can feel the pain and the torture caused by the outbreak. My lifetime wish is to be able to stop it.

I'm really sorry. Our short farewell will bring laughter to millions of families. This is what doctors like me should do. When the outbreak is eased, I'll stay by your side as much as I can. I believe that you will understand, right?"

Dr Cao Xiao Ying retired before the Lunar New Year but when the outbreak came, she decided to stay in Wuhan with other doctors and nurses at the Hunan centre for infectious diseases to fight the outbreak with her 30 years of experience.

When SARS broke out in February 2003, Vietnam-France Hospital was chosen as the research and treatment centre for the outbreak and one of the doctors on the front line is Dr Carlo Urbani. During the fight against the outbreak, he died at 11.45 pm on March 29, 2003.

After 45 days, the SARS outbreak was controlled and only six doctors died. Maybe not many people know about the little shrine for the deceased doctors from and out of Vietnam set up in a corner of the Vietnam-France Hospital.

Hats off to the doctors who did and have sacrificed themselves to save other people. Their sacrifice is invaluable and the gratitude for them is endless.

Some times, someone may forget their Hippocratic Oath but thousands of others still devote to medicine and others' wellbeing.

Hats off to the doctors that died in their line of work. They have died to save millions of lives.