Pune's Symbiosis University Hospital makes stay fun for its young patients

PUNE: The Symbiosis University Hospital — one of the nodal Covid-19 facilities — has woven interactive fun and engagement into the daily activities of its young patients to beat the stress of battling the deadly virus.
Fun activities like musical chair, shaking a leg and grooving to Bollywood soundtracks and dibs on their favourite shows on TV, besides a special kids’ menu, takes the children’s minds off the fact that they are away from home.
“We have a total of 35 children in the hospital. We have children as young as 5 months old in our care. Fortunately, all of them are healthy individuals so that none of them needed even oxygen support. I think the most difficult part is keeping them still in one place. They keep running around the ward. The aim is that they shouldn’t feel the stress of being inside a hospital. The treatment is more like an interaction between medical staff and them. We don’t expect them to be lying down on their beds all the time. We want them to be as comfortable as possible, as we understand they too are living here separated from their home and loved ones,” said Vijay Natarajan, chief executive officer of Symbiosis University Hospital.
A patient, who had four children from his family in the hospital, said, “The hospital gave these children space for playing. They arranged a see-saw, they would conduct activities like musical chair and other games, and even gave them surprise goodies. The special kids’ menu comprised sandwiches and fried rice among others. At the time of discharge they were handed chocolate bars.”
The hospital is now trying to indulge the senior citizens in different activities as well, said Natarajan.