Irish PM re-enlists as doctor during coronavirus pandemic

Image Source: www.irishtimes.com

Extraordinary times require extraordinary efforts. And leading from the front in putting in extraordinary efforts is the Prime Minister of Ireland.

Irish Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar has re-enlisted in the medical register and has offered to help the healthcare services during the coronavirus crisis.

Varadkar studied medicine and worked as a General Physician and hospital doctor for seven years before he left the field for politics. His name was removed from the medical register in 2013, a year before he was appointed as the Minister of Health.

However, Varadkar, the son of an Indian doctor and Irish nurse, re-enlisted his name last month to help to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Varadkar belongs to a medical family: his partner Matthew Barrett, his two sisters and their husbands are all part of the medical fraternity.

He is set to work within the Health Service Executive (HSE), the body that provides public health and social care services to everyone in Ireland, in weekly shifts in an area suited to his qualifications.

Currently in Ireland, any patient that might have been exposed to the coronavirus is initially evaluated over the phone rather than in person. This process is to stop the spread of the very contagious virus. It has been reported that Varadkar is helping with phone assessments.

Last month, the HSE urged all the medical and healthcare professionals to register in a mass recruitment drive to deal with the pandemic. The results were remarkable, with 50,000 people applying in just about three days.

Our salute to the Prime Minister for going beyond the call of his duty in these times! What do you think? Do let us know your views in the comments section below.

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