NE HEALTH BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, JULY 4
Necessity is the mother of invention. It holds true in the case of kidney hospital or the Institute of Kidney Diseases & Research Centre (IKDRC) here during the peak pandemic period.
From door delivery of medicines to hearse services for deceased patients, the Institute of Kidney Diseases & Research Centre (IKDRC) ran the extra mile to provide best medical care and services with equal aplomb to COVID-19 patients and their relatives. The curtains were finally drawn on the 51st day of COVID care facility created at IKDRC on Friday after the state health department decided to close additional COVID care facilities in Civil Hospital compound earlier this week.
During its stint as a COVID care facility, the institute which is popularly known as Kidney Hospital, providing world-class medical care to its patients ranging from 14-year-old to 90-year-old. The entire team of doctors, nurses, and support staff at IKDRC worked hard to offer benchmark services during this time. Yoga sessions, physiotherapy, nutritional food, and personal care to patients in COVID wards.
And, in some cases, even hearse services to coronavirus victims albeit at the request of relatives.
“We have moved back to our core functions and henceforth all transplanted patients and those on medication shall visit for check-ups and get their modified medicines,” Dr Vineet Mishra, Director, IKDRC-ITS announced in a statement on Friday. However, if there is a spike in corona cases, the same wards would quickly be converted into COVID facility within a short span of 3 to 4 hours. Closure of COVID wards at IKDRC will ensure prioritizing kidney-related operations and procedures, the statement said.
“It was a fulfilling experience for everyone at IKDRC. Medical as well as support staff remained motivated to serve patients and everyone worked in tandem to give the best care to patients,” said Dr Mishra sharing his experiences while thanking the state government for the whole-hearted support to make everything happen.
Director appreciates frontline warriors – nurses – for their selefless service
The nursing staff which proved to be the backbone of the medical services to overcame the challenging task to serve COVID-19 patients with fear of contracting the infection. Matron In-charge at IKDRC, Kundanben Sutariya, had life-changing experiences while on duty at the COVID care facility. Responsible for managing a robust team of 300 nurses, Sutariya overcame personal fears and apprehension and served her patients just like her family.
“My son who was in Canada was asked to go for a COVID test as he was running a fever at that time. It was a difficult situation for me emotionally as I felt completely helpless because I was also under fear to contract Covid-19 infection,” said Sutariya adding that her husband at home along with 88-year-old mother-in-law was also to be taken care of.
“I have to take care of COVID patients, keep myself infection-free and was concerned about my son and family,” explained Sutariya about her complex psychological and mental state of mind. But driven by the responsibility to serve, she sailed difficult times and now satisfied with the job she performed well as a COVID warrior.
Similarly, hands-on exposure to interns was a lifelong memorable experience for scores of young medics.
Covid-19 times also fuelled innovation at IKDRC like sanitizing tunnel and multiplexer for ventilators was appreciated well. Institute also ramped up its capacities to treat patients better with the commissioning of a 10,000 litres oxygen plant on the back of increased demand due to COVID patients.
