All healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, ward staff and others are putting their lives on the line in the fight against corona virus (COVID19). The pandemic is quite unprecedented and have made everyone jittery for small things. Add to this the panic-mongers on social media, who fast-forward anything and everything without even knowing or understanding what they are doing.
Here is a first-person account of a warrior Dr Suraj Pai, who is junior resident in the department of dermatology at Sion Hospital, who is aghast with wrong depiction of Sion Hospital, which is at the forefront in saving lives in the COVID19 pandemic.
'Dead bodies wrapped in plastic lying next to patients at Sion Hospital'
This statement flashed and I received a video circulating on social media. I received numerous texts and calls enquiring the authenticity of the video from my contacts.
I was shocked to see the video and pained enough to answer their queries. Not because it is shameful but because Sion Hospital has always been portrayed negatively.
Sion Hospital, a small hospital, located strategically in centre of Mumbai at crossroad connecting harbour, western and central Mumbai. We have the world famous 'Dharavi' as our neighbour which harbours a population of almost eight to nine lakh people within a range of 2 sq kms area.
With an out-patient department (OPD) of around 20 lakh patients every year and in-patient department (IPD) of 1 lakh per year, Sion Hospital sees maximum footfalls every year compared to all other municipal and government hospitals in Mumbai.
Sion Hospital is also understaffed like other government hospitals and there is always increasing load of patients on resident doctors. Yet not a single doctor cribs over the situation and works relentlessly for the patients. Even the hospital management ensures everything runs smoothly with constant support from the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corp (BMC).
For the past two months, despite of not being a dedicated COVID19 centre for admission, Sion Hospital has been catering to COVID patients with numbers exceeding some of the dedicated COVID centres in Mumbai.
Mind you, the routine OPDs and IPDs are still continuing at Sion Hospital.
On top of it, many doctors and staffs from here are posted at Kasturba Hospital, Seven Hills Hospital and HBT Trauma Centre. With reduced manpower in Sion and ever increasing number of COVID19 cases in Mumbai, everybody at Sion Hospital is literally sweating out to cater to the patients.
All resident doctors, irrespective of their departments, have been posted for COVID19 duties in addition to their usual departmental OPDs and IPDs. From first year students to exam going final years and senior medical officers (SMOs) or senior level surgeons and even the faculties have been made to work with all the leaves cancelled till further order!
People have no idea what we resident doctors are going through. Social media just shows negative stuffs about Sion Hospital. Neither a single media person nor any elected representative have actually visited Sion Hospital to know the ground situation. Instead of commenting and defaming Sion Hospital and the BMC, it would be better if they show some restrain and help improve the situation.
Earlier relatives of a deceased patient would fight with doctors and staff to have the formalities completed and release the body as soon as possible.
With the COVID19 pandemic, the situation has now completely changed.
Relatives of patients are not even accepting body of the person who dies due to COVID19. In such situation, the hospital is required to inform concerned authorities and police, which is time consuming process.
Also, there are not enough transport facilities available for the relatives to take away the dead body. The entire procedure to dispose the deceased patient's body safely according to the protocol, takes time. Unfortunately, without knowing this, some people shoot some video and spread it on social media to defame the hospital and entire system that is busy fighting day in and day out with an invisible enemy.
Add to this, physical assaults on doctors and hospital staff by relatives of patients. But no one will discuss this on social media through a viral video, though.
Inspite of all these comments and assaults, our work goes on!
Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and getting drenched with sweat, with nothing accessible for six to eight hours at a stretch, resident doctors at Sion Hospital would still be cheerful and work tirelessly because of a sense of pride to work in this Institute.
Recently the Army showered flowers on major hospitals in Mumbai and as usual Sion Hospital was missed out!
It was not even mentioned anywhere in news.
Only thing mentioned and was talked about was 'dead bodies lying next to patients'.
It hurts to hear such stuffs about Sion Hospital and it's Sionites.
But we are undeterred by such incidents. Sion hospital may never be in limelight for good things.
But remember, Mumbai will be paralysed if Sion Hospital does not function!
I would request everyone out there to support all health workers and BMC in this pandemic and be responsible enough in their own way and not believe everything that comes on social media without knowing both sides!
This post is not to demean other hospitals or their workers. Everybody is working hard to end this pandemic.
But I felt a need to speak up for Sion Hospital and Sionites because common people need to know the reality!
Sion Hospital has a rich legacy and it will still be a sought-after hospital because of its excellent workforce and mentality!
Sion Hospital was, is and still be working always for the people and cater to the needs of Mumbai and also whole of India literally without any expectations or appraisals!
Dedicated to all my COVID warriors out there! Cheers!
#Sionite
Inside from Sion Hospital
Meanwhile, the BMC had constituted a committee to investigate a viral video that showed COVID19 patients lying next to dead bodies at the city's Sion Hospital.
