Our Frontline Worker of the Week is… Dr. Malinee Singh

Dec 27, 2020 News

By Romario Blair

With just a few days remaining for 2020, most of us can do nothing but reflect on the challenges this year has spewed upon us, while at the same time optimistically awaiting the promises of 2021. The COVID-19 Pandemic has without a doubt been the most dreaded challenge, and is no doubt responsible for many broken hearts around the world this time of the year.

Family support is needed.

Singh with her husband and their three-year-old son

In Guyana, we recognize that without our frontline workers, the spread of COVID-19 could’ve been much more devastating. Dr. Malinee Singh, who is presently attached to the Suddie Public Hospital on the Essequibo Coast, has dedicated much of her time throughout this year, towards the fight against COVID-19.
Dr. Singh, who has been in the profession for some seven years, is presently attached to the hospital’s isolation area. She is also tasked with responsibilities in the Quarantine and Medical wards. This 32-year-old professional went on to describe her ‘pre-COVID-19’ routine, saying, “Most of the time I assist with the chronic disease patients… so basically we see patients with chronic diseases like diabetic and hypertensive cases and we manage them at the ward.”
Singh explained that that routine changed last March when Guyana recorded its first COVID-19 death. “Since COVID-19 though, I’ve had to devote a portion of my daily routine to the isolation and wait quarantine areas.”
Doctor Malinee Singh, who is also a young mother, told Kaieteur News that her love for her profession compelled her to volunteer on the frontline. “I really like what I do and I enjoy working with my patients… I believe that there should be no stigma attached to working with patients who have COVID-19. They should be treated fairly.”
Doctor Singh went on to say, “my duty is to serve humanity equally because my reasoning is that one of those patients could be your relative. When we assist those patients, we assist those families as well, so sometimes you have to put yourself in those person’s positions and feel how they feel. So I enjoy working with those patients.”
Dr. Singh grew up in the Community of Adventure, which is a small and quiet village located just within a mile of Suddie. She attended the Suddie Primary School, before moving on to President’s College. In 2005, she graduated from President’s College with 10 CXC subjects.

A dedicated frontline worker: Dr. Malinee Singh.

Committed to annihilating COVID-19.

She said that her parents, Lakiraj and Leeawattie Singh, insisted that she spend some time at home, following her graduation. “My parents didn’t want me to peruse anything and I spent a year at home. During that year I applied for a scholarship to go to Cuba,” Dr. Singh related.
She said that her interest in the medical field was sparked by her grandmother. “Since I was a little girl I always wanted to become a doctor because when I had my grandmother around she said she will like her granddaughter to become a doctor… and I’m happy that I went with the idea because I had an opportunity to help her at the diabetic clinic,” said Dr. Singh.
Like most doctors who travelled abroad, adapting to the customs of a foreign nation, can be quite challenging. Dr. Singh said that the language barrier was quite frustrating at times, since she had no foundation in Spanish.
“When I applied, I got a reply within three months and I was off to Cuba. My experience was unique but one of our major difficulties was adapting. It took some time for me to adapt because the language was a challenge. Nevertheless within the seven years I was over in Cuba, I managed to pull through smoothly,” said Dr. Singh.
The eldest of four siblings, she revealed that her family was tremendously supportive during her endeavor abroad. “My parents always tried to give my siblings and I the best education. So at the time when I explained that I was gonna study abroad, they tried to support me… they were like if I choose that they support me and I’m grateful for that.”
Dr. Singh returned from Cuba in 2013, and has since been assigned to the Suddie Public Hospital. She has a family of her own with her husband, Kawan Suchit, and their three-year-old baby boy, Kelvin. Dr. Singh said that finding the time to balance her family life with her professional life can at times be hard. “I have a challenge where I don’t get to spend as much time with my family as I want to and with the pandemic it’s increasingly difficult, just trying to balance work and family life.”
Dr. Singh said that as she reflects on 2020, there is still a measure of positivity that can be taken away. She went on to explain that while the year was indeed a hectic one, it strengthened the bond between health care providers on the frontline.
“The year 2020 has taught me a lot; in terms of my career it has really strengthened our relationship in terms of team work. Our colleagues have become more like family… of course, from time to time we can get very emotional when dealing with patients on the frontline, but when we encourage and uplift each other we develop an even stronger and unbreakable bond,” said Dr. Singh.
With the introduction of a new vaccine, many are optimistic that COVID-19 may soon be history. When asked about the possible advantages a vaccine may bring to frontline workers in Guyana, Dr. Singh said, “We are all excited that a new vaccine is being introduced because it will help us in tremendously, in terms of reducing the work load, and we hope that it is effective so that people can go back to their normal lives.”
Dr. Singh said that while we await the arrival of the vaccine, the battle is far from over, since there continues to be an influx of confirmed cases. This, she said, can be linked to persons taking the virus lightly. “The majority of the people still not believing COVID is real and they are not protecting themselves. We try as much as possible to warn persons that asymptomatic individuals can transmit the virus without even knowing it, but for some reason people aren’t taking these warnings seriously.”
During this holiday season, Dr. Singh wishes to advice persons to break the chain of transmission by observing the COVID-19 guidelines. “I will like to advice those persons to be safe, take all precautions and practices hygiene so we can decrease the amount of cases because those simple things can help the health care system. We know that a vaccine is coming, but please do not let down your guard, because the battle is not yet over,” said Dr. Singh.