On the front line: A photo shows exhausted doctors in a Covid ward

Photo of intern doctors at the end of a shift in a Covid ward became viral on social media. The picture was taken and published by a famous surgeon from Plovdiv, who is impressed by the readiness of future medics to fight selflessly with the infection on the front line. Covid wards in Plovdiv hospitals are gradually filling up and urgently looking for volunteers.

The heroes in the photo of Professor Rosen Dimov are inseparable from the doctors on duty in the Covid ward. He sees them at the end of their shift, devastated by fatigue.

I was very impressed by their motivation to be with those seriously ill around the clock. This is extremely useful for any doctor, student or trainee doctor, said Prof. Dr. Rosen Dimov.

The two girls are students in the 6th year of their study in medicine. They don't want too much publicity and fuss being made of them and did not want to talk in front of our camera. Maria Boncheva is already a doctor. From the beginning of the second wave, she joined the Covid ward of “ Saint Mina” Hospital, first as a volunteer.

We are usually one doctor per shift, rarely two. You never know what might happen, how many ambulances may come with patients, said Dr. Maria Boncheva.

Seven ambulances brought patients during her first duty. She is grateful for her experience as a volunteer, because meeting the most seriously ill is not easy.

We never forget the eyes of these patients, it is quite exhausting emotionally, not so much physically, adds Dr. Maria Boncheva.

At the moment, there are no volunteers in the Covid ward where Dr. Boncheva works.

We are recruiting new ones as the wave escalates, the number of beds and the number of cases increase and we have an urgent need for qualified specialists. These boys and girls do absolutely all kinds of work and they usually do it unselfishly, said Prof. Petar Petrov - manager of St. Mina Hospital.

We as a society must realise that in fact the constant emphasis only on the shortcomings of the healthcare system ... leads to underestimation of the true value of people and the structures that ensure our health, said Prof. Dr. Rosen Dimov.

The number of patients with Covid in the “Saint Mina” Hospital alone has increased four-fold for a week.