Vadodara’s railway hospital chugs in change in Covid management

VADODARA: TO WALK FREE OF COVID’S GRIP in itself is a joy that perhaps can be scarcely expressed in words alone, but the moist eyes of 54-year-old Vikramsinh Rana had another tale to tell on Tuesday.
With a lump in his throat, as he walked out of the Divisional Railway Hospital (DRH), Rana, a Covid-19 positive patient who got cured, was overwhelmed by the unrelenting efforts that he witnessed at the hospital.
Then, what was so different in DRH? The answer is TLC (total loving care).
Besides the necessary medicines, what flowed ceaselessly here was the morale-boosting efforts on part of its caretakers, irrespective of their professional roles.
From books, games to movies, and more, the patients weren’t left alone by the enthusiastic staff who matched their patients, step by step, trying their best not to let the zeal sap. Such acts forged a bond of trust, respect, and deep mutual understanding between both sides.
The hospital was designated as a Covid hospital in June and has since been admitting positive patients. Till September 15, it had treated 453 patients, of whom 370 had recovered while 32 had to be transferred elsewhere.
Smita Biju, who works with a city-based private university spent nine days at the hospital. “After the initial fear subsided, I almost instantly felt at home in the hospital’s pleasant atmosphere. The doctors and nursing staff are on their toes, caring, attentive and always encouraging patients to discuss their condition, be it discomfort of symptoms that they may have missed out on,” she said.
“The mental condition of Covid patients has been discussed a lot. We, therefore, devised our ways to keep patients happy — a vital element for in their recovery too. From music to cable television, to all-time hit movies, we wanted the patients to enjoy, their stay” said chief medical superintendent (CMS) Dr Brahm Prakash.
Covid-19 nodal officer and additional CMS, Dr Krishna Kumar said, that patients too formed groups among themselves and became friends. “They started inspiring other patients, giving them confidence which became a major asset for us in helping them recover fast,” he said.
Word of mouth publicity about their invaluable work made the hospital sought-after among city police personnel.