Dr Saleyha Ahsan explains why she filmed her journey through Covid

1 March 2021, 11:44 | Updated: 1 March 2021, 12:01

Doctor who filmed her journey with Covid explains why

By EJ Ward

An A&E doctor has told LBC when Covid came to the UK it felt the same as being deployed to a conflict zone.

Dr Saleyha Ahsan filmed her own journey through the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, capturing the pressure and personal tragedies she faced with the surge in patients, which included her own father.

During an interview with LBC's James O'Brien, Dr Ahsan explained she had been "telling stories and making films for about 14 years."

She told James that normally her films would be made overseas in conflict zones and humanitarian settings.

"Since Covid arrived in the UK the camera had to stay firmly here in the UK, I didn't have to get on a plane to see a crisis it was happening right in front of me."

Dr Ahsan explained in her work as an A&E doctor "felt like I was on deployment," but this time "there was no aeroplane to board to come back home to safety because it was here."

Dr Ahsan told James for her the "telling moment" was when she got a call from colleagues she had filmed in Tripoli during the war to check if she was ok.

"That was the moment I thought, oh good grief, this is real."

Condition Critical: One Doctor’s Story – will air on Monday 1st March on Channel 4 at 8pm.

Watch the whole interesting and insightful exchange in the video at the top of the page.

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