The fight that they, the paramedics, support staff and the police are putting up against the novel Coronavirus, is commendable; some medicos contracted the virus, but are back at work after recovering
BMC chief Iqbal Chahal visited Nair Hospital on Saturday morning, and had discussions with the hospital staff, as well as patients
You feel all is not lost when a sunshine story rises up against a gloomy horizon. This one is about the undying effort of our frontline novel Coronavirus warriors — the doctors, paramedics and support staff. A chapter of this stunning story, comes from Mumbai's BMC-run Nair Hospital, where the 200th corona negative baby was born to a positive mother last week. All the Nair babies are doing well and so are their happy mothers, thanks to the united army of medics. The landmark baby, a girl, was named Amazon by a medical team that coordinates Nair Hospital's (also a medical college) war against COVID-19.
I knew the interesting story from Manisha Patankar Mhaiskar, principal secretary in charge of BMC COVID hospitals. The Nair team shares everything on their WhatsApp group. The happiness they shared last week can be felt even while some sad stories are floating around us. When Manisha received a message in the group about the birth, she expressed her happiness in one word 'Amazon'. The IAS officer wrote on her Facebook wall how inadvertent the expression was and yet it fitted the celebration. "So when the 200th COVID negative baby was born to a positive mumma, Sarika Patil and Surbhi Rathi (senior Nair doctors) posted it enthusiastically (in the group). Blame it part on auto correct and part on multi-tasking, I replied 'Amazon' instead of 'Amazing'. But since the 200th baby was a girl child, my autocorrect error was fortuitous, and we named the negative baby, Amazon, after the legendary race of female warriors. May she and all baby girls be tall, strong and powerful." We wish the babies born fighting a grave challenge the valour of the Amazons, who according to Greek mythology lived in Asia Minor.
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Applause for warriors
The christening of the baby could be fortuitous, but the fight that our COVID warriors (women and men) are putting up is really amazing. They have risked their lives and contracted the virus. They returned to work after recovery. The other workforce that finds a parallel with our medical teams is the diehard police force. The civic hospitals have always been short of facilities but never lacked in teaching talent that turned raw students into fine doctors. Same can be said about state-run medical colleges in the city (one) and rest of Maharashtra (many). Mumbai boasts of some finest municipal corporation-run medical colleges which are favourites of the aspirants from across the country for graduation, post-graduation, super speciality courses and teaching jobs. Maharashtra was first among several states to allow proliferation of private medical colleges which itself is a different story that needs an entire piece to write about.
In the COVID-19 crisis, the civic and government medical colleges (and hospitals) were exposed to unforeseen circumstances that their immense academic and clinical talent has overcome remarkably. The alumni, the current and retired workforce, and the students have come together in a war-like situation. The planning done at the level of policy makers has been contested by the experts, opposition parties and also by some from the ruling parties, albeit in a hush-hush manner. However, what remains intact is the service that our medics have been providing under fluctuating guidelines and political pressure. They don't enjoy the liberty and immunity of their counterparts from private hospitals which, for a change, are on the government's radar for 'shaming' the life-saving profession. The private hospitals face allegations of turning away patients in violation of COVID rules and fleecing the hapless patients who manage to get hospitalised.
BMC is aware
The pandemic has also exposed our faulty government healthcare policy for the urban, semi-urban and rural areas. We haven't yet passed the first wave of the pandemic. The second wave may be knocking at our doors as a 70-day lockdown gets unlocked. Mumbai will get busy from Monday with its urgent humanity - especially office-goers scrambling to reach workplaces in thin public road transport and plenty of private vehicles. The movement may be restricted till June 30, but what will happen once suburban and metro trains get back, taxis and buses choke the city roads and stations get crowded?
The BMC seems aware of the upcoming problems. It is preparing itself to meet a double whammy of the pandemic and monsoon-related ailments by increasing COVID and monsoon beds. The state health department has also issued an order to isolate positive patients in their homes if their residences have facilities required and if they agree to stay home instead of hospitals. The general practitioners will also be back to their clinics, all laced with personal protection equipment. By the time the second wave comes dashing at us, thanks to a free-for-all unlocking, our frontline warriors may be fatigued. But we're confident that they will still be chasing the virus. And of course, they will also be discovering happiness whenever an Amazon sounds, "Yes we can".
Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
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