BERHAMPUR: Ward for destitutes in any hospital can portray a sorry picture. But, not at MKCG Medical College and Hospital (MCH) in Berhampur.
Apart from the doctors and nurses, a group of three women - all cooks by profession - have turned caregivers for 12 elderly destitutes in the ward. The women - Muni Jena, Sukamati and Surekha - have been doing the job for the last several months without charging a penny from the MCH administration.
Belonging to lower middle class families, the three provide cooking service to families in the city in order to supplement their family income. Living close to the MCH, they visit MKCG after finishing their work everyday and attend to the patients in the destitute ward in shifts till evening.
The destitute ward in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) department of MKCG MCH was opened in 2018 with 17 patients. While five of them left after treatment, 12 stayed behind with no home to go back to. The MCH administration has deployed two nurses in the ward to look after the inmates.
“All the elderly patients in the ward are facing some ailment or the other and many of them are in their 70s, 80s. They have been deserted by their families. While someone has no vision in his eyes, another is disabled or cannot hear properly. While there are nurses to look after them in shifts, we chose to spend our free time with these elderly people because they are just like our parents. At this age, they need extra care even with their daily chores,” said Muni.
The three women visit the ward twice a day, once in the morning and again in evening, and spend time with the patients for at least an hour or two. Be it helping the patients brush their teeth, bathing them, changing their clothes or feeding them, they do it all. “We three stay close to the hospital. Every day, we decide among ourselves on who will visit the ward at what time. We visit the ward in the morning before we set out on our jobs and in the evening after completing our household chores. And on some days when any of us cannot make it to the ward, we inform the nurses concerned,” said Sukamati.
With their constant care, the women have been able to keep the patients in good health and good spirits. “These elderly people have become child-like now. Their deteriorating mental health and depression can only make things worse for them unless they get additional care and attention. We try to ensure that none of them feels lonely and uncared for,” said Surekha.
The nursing officer on duty at the ward Susrita Devi acknowledges the contribution of Muni, Sukamati and Surekha towards taking care of the patients. The two nurses, Devi said, are in charge of giving medicines, injections to the patients as per directions of the doctors of different departments who visit the ward whenever required. “However, the role that the three women play is praiseworthy. Although the patients were left to die by their own families, these women have come forward to selflessly take care of them as if they are their own parents,” she added.
Earlier, the MCH had roped in an NGO to take care of the patients in the ward. However, due to some issues pertaining to payments, the NGO discontinued its services. This is when the three women, who are neighbours to each other, decided to step in and take care of the patients.
Administrative officer of MKCG MCH Sangram Keshari Panda said when families of the 17 patients were approached, those of five patients came forward to take them back. “However, none from the families of the 12 patients came forward to take them. For these patients, the ward is now their home. We are planning to shift them to a destitute home soon,” he informed.