For doctors of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), treating the 45-year-old male who tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was crucial. But they had another job on hand — preventing him from slipping into depression. They went a step ahead, helping him with pep talks over phone, providing him magazines and a special diet as per his health condition.
Recovering from COVID-19 at one of the isolation wards of RGGGH, he needed more than just medical attention. “He was confined to a room. We found him depressed for two days. The fear and stigma could have caused depression. So, we decided to do something to keep him motivated. The RGGGH dean started to talk to him over phone regularly. We gave him pep talks, giving updates on his parameters and told him that he was doing fine. We needed to boost his confidence,” a senior doctor said.
Sending a counsellor meant additional exposure to the infection, so doctors decided to help him in their own way. To help him overcome boredom, doctors provided books and magazines. “It was important for him to know that his wife had tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. So, we conveyed the test result to him,” the doctor said.
Diet plan
The patient, being a diabetic, had an appropriate diet plan drawn up specially for him. He also got to place orders from the GH kitchen, a special privilege.
“We provided him food in disposable plates and cups. We served him nutritious food that will boost his immunity. This included food rich in vitamins. The diet also had juices and salads. We also told him that he can place an order for anything that he wants to eat as per his health condition from our kitchen,” the doctor added.
Not just him, the hospital also took initiatives to keep the separate team of medical and paramedical staff working for COVID-19 motivated. “We have three persons — a doctor, staff nurse and worker — per shift. So, there are a total of nine persons on three shifts. We are taking efforts to keep them motivated,” the doctor said.
Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said, “The doctors motivated him and got him books. He is out of danger.”
