When Dr. Mohamed Salah Siala started working on the COVID-19 front line in January in a hospital in Tunisia he never thought of using his musical skills in the fight against the virus.
But when the 25-year-old decided to get out of his fiddle one day at Hedi Chaker Hospital in the city of Sfax and play, he won praise for boosting the confidence of virus victims who stayed alone and needed a smile. Patients’ immediate comments – smiles, applause and some with fists – indicated an “immediate concert. ”
It surprised some to find out that he was the doctor on the fiddle. “Playing the music here adds to the patient’s sense of joy and forgetfulness of the pain,” said patient Rachid Arous, who is recovering from COVID-19. “It’s an amazing thing. In her downtime away from medical duties, Siala plays the fiddle willingly and is also a member of a group called the “Pepper Band.”
“My goal is to use music to help treat corona (virus) patients who are in a severe psychological state, suffering from loneliness – which is like their first enemy,” Siala told The Associated Press (AP) Saturday. Siala now plays regularly in the hospital, when she has time. Walking through the corridors with his fiddle, Siala’s music helps not only the patients but also health workers. They have been under pressure in recent months due to the growing number of virus – linked hospitals spinning at the beginning of the year. However, there is more to the fiddle than hope to the North African country.
Tunisia is showing signs that the virus is declining. In the last few days, it recorded one of the lowest rates of new infections in several weeks. According to the health ministry, 725 new advanced cases were detected Thursday in the population of nearly 12 million against a peak of more than 4,100 new cases in mid-January. Similarly, the death toll fell to 35, from a daily average of 70 – and the highest of 103 deaths in a month. With the exception of the intensive care beds, which are still filled, the oxygen beds are not as full as they used to be, as many patients receive care at home.
There are currently 1,264 Tunisians in hospital – including 287 in intensive care and 111 on air conditioners. The country is expected to receive its first delivery of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines this month. These are part of a broader agreement with the global COVAX vaccination program for developing countries and the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that Tunisia hopes to introduce as many as 7 million vaccine doses in the coming months ahead. In the meantime, patients can rely on Siala to provide hope and flexibility with bow strokes. “He plays to entertain us a little bit almost every day. I pray to God to protect him, and I wish you everything God will protect you from this disease,” Brika said Sdiri, clapping and laughing while listening to the music. “hoping to get out of this place in good health, that’s what I want.”