“Last week, we at Madhipura Christian Hospital (MCH) received a call from a local politician asking us to admit a woman in labor with eclampsia who was allegedly COVID-19 positive. We had to scramble to get an isolated bed and medications ready in a separate building. With our homemade PPE and prayer shield on, we began to treat this patient.
Relatives of other patients admitted in the main hospital building began congregating to find out why we were taking COVID-19 positive patients, but they settled when they were told her status was not confirmed. It was difficult for us to adjust to wearing the cumbersome PPE, but we monitored the patient, administered the medication she needed, and delivered her baby. Although the baby cried at birth, she was far too preterm to survive, and died a few hours later. Once the patient was stable, she was discharged uneventfully.
We never got confirmation from government authorities on whether this woman had tested positive or not. But treating this patient was a wake-up call for us to be ready for COVID-19 patients if and when they arrive at MCH.”
~ Dr. Arpit Mathew Jacob, Managing Director and Senior Administrative Officer
Emmanuel Hospital Association Canada 