“This was a difficult time in her old age, that too fighting alone without a single relative,” said Dr Ramesh Bhosale, Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital. (Rerpesentational)

A 65-year-old woman, suffering from end-stage cervical cancer and also battling Covid-19, was brought in a physically and mentally stressed state to Sassoon General Hospital. With no relatives, the woman’s neighbours admitted her and she managed to recover under treatment by Dr Uma Wankhede and Dr Arun Ambadkar. Apart from a good diet, medicines, and two blood transfusions, the treatment lasted for a month. She finally tested negative for the novel coronavirus and was discharged from Sassoon. To date, 416 patients have recovered and been discharged from the hospital.

Dr Chakor Vora, oncologist, suggested providing her with palliative care but in the absence of relatives, there were certain issues of how to move her. To sort these issues, Nandbothi Pagare, a social worker, under the guidance of hospital superintendent Dr Ajay Taware, made an effort to contact and trace her children and brought them to the hospital to help and guide them for their mother’s further treatment.

“This was a difficult time in her old age, that too fighting alone without a single relative,” said Dr Ramesh Bhosale, Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital.

He added that doctors, nurses, and other staff at the hospital constantly spoke to her to motivate her to fight back. She was discharged recently.

National Doctor’s Day today

While the usual exuberance around the event is missing with healthcare workers engaged in the battle against Covid-19, several said they were facing high levels of stress. Dr Mahesh Lakhe, consultant for infectious diseases, Columbia Asia Hospital, said the Covid-19 pandemic had brought about great responsibility and stress, pushing healthcare workers to meet new challenges daily. Dr Hardik Ajmera, Deputy Medical Director, Saifee Hospital, in a statement said what motivated them were the smiles on the faces of family members when a patient on ventilator returned home.