A Hundred Unsung Heroes: Nabilah Zakaria - Diagnostic Radiographer, Pantai Hospital Kula Lumpur

October 8, 2020

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*“When I found out that there was a possibility of me testing positive, the thing I did was call my babysitter.”*

I was working in the radiology department and the sister on duty suddenly called me and told me that I had to go for a COVID-19 screening and immediate quarantine. It turned out that my colleague from radiology had close contact with a positive COVID-19 patient. We had done an entire night of duty together, placing me at risk too. When I found out that there was a possibility of me testing positive, the thing I did was call my babysitter.

I have a 14-month old baby at home and her safety at that time was my only concern. So, I requested my babysitter to take care of my baby while I was quarantined. You see, my husband is a frontliner too and works in the emergency department – and he needed to be at work and would not be able to attend to the baby while I was in quarantine.

With both of us being frontliners, we decided to live apart until the numbers started declining. For about five months, my husband and I lived apart for the safety of our child and our families. It was a tough decision to make, but it was necessary for the greater good.

Post my home quarantine, I was back at work, just being extra cautious. Such is the life of a healthcare professional. Our urge to serve, comes from a place of passion and helping others. Once you are in this profession, your patients always come first, even if that means sometimes you need to make challenging decisions.

I’m very grateful to both my colleagues and family for supporting me through this journey and I will continue to do what it takes to keep the people safe.