Saifee Hospital has come a long way from March 26, after an 82-year-old doctor admitted there had tested positive for corona, following which 14 of its staff were quarantined and later, tested negative. For seven days the hospital downed its shutters. On April 4, it was once again up and running and had set up a dedicated Covid unit. And has been getting something right because 146 of its 231 Covid patients have recovered and been discharged, a recovery rate of 63.20 per cent.
Hospital authorities attribute this feat to the support from doctors and nurses as well as the adherence to specific treatment protocols for critically ill patients.
“The Saifee Hospital Covid team has achieved exemplary patient recovery results due to our dedicated team of nurses and doctors. Apart from supportive care, specific therapeutic protocols were implemented to achieve good outcomes in the current scenario,” said Dr Vernon P. de Sa, director, medical services, clinical compliance and governance.
Of the 231 Covid patients admitted there until May 12, only 85 currently remain under treatment. “The recovery rate at our hospital is double the average recovery rate of Maharashtra - 63.20 per cent compared to 25 per cent, which is the average recovery rate of the state,” Dr de Sa said.
The hospital has set up a triage OPD outside, where patients are screened and treated free of cost. A dedicated team of doctors, nurses, clinical staff and attendants have been deployed at this OPD. “It is the first-ever OPD set up for screening patients before they enter the hospital. So far, we have screened 937 patients,” said Dr de Sa.
Recently, a 93-year-old woman residing in Mazgaon became a source of inspiration for Covid-19 sufferers, as she beat back the disease despite suffering from multiple chronic health conditions and age. She had tested positive and was admitted to Saifee on April 17.
She had hypertension and had also been suffering from general weakness in the preceding days. With proper treatment and care at the hospital's Covid facility for one-and-a-half weeks, she was discharged from the hospital.
"What helped me get through the illness was faith and inner strength. I am thankful to the entire team of doctors, nurses, and support staff for their kindness, compassion and efficiency in helping me recover from this illness,” said the nonagenarian Covid-19 survivor.
Said Dr de Sa, “We just hope her story gives hope to others and urges them to fight back even harder.”
The hospital has also set up a Covid empathy team, a holistic counselling unit that conducts video calls with patients' relatives, solving their urgent queries.
