Inside a COVID-19 Ward

07/28/21 • 60 min

*Listener discretion advised*
Healthcare workers are the first line of defence to combat this pandemic, and many battles of life and death are being fought inside the Covid-19 ward. In this episode, we are in conversation with Ms Mirai Chatterjee from SEWA, as we bring you the accounts of five women healthcare workers from across India. These workers' stories shed light on the shortage of protective equipment, high patient volumes, risk of infection, psychological and even physical abuse by patients, and constant exposure to deaths of patients and colleagues. The psychosocial consequences of all of these challenges on the mental health of our health workers are likely to be very serious. If we are to provide good quality health care and cope with not only this pandemic but future health crises too, we need to take the time to process what we have lost and make the investments necessary to prepare ourselves for the future.
Episode contributors: Mirai Chatterjee, Sangita Maurya, Dr Evita Taneja, Dr Vimal Sangam, Dr Sumedha Tiwari and Padma Hedoo

Host: Pattie Gonsalves
Produced in New Delhi by Faith Gonsalves.
Audio and music produced by Ishaan Gandhi.
Contributor management by Sweta Pal.
Artwork by Natasha Yadav.
A project of Sangath, supported by the Wellcome Trust.

Previous Episode

Suicide Prevention

Trigger Warning: This episode includes stories and descriptions of suicide, some contents may be upsetting or trigger an adverse reaction. Listener discretion is advised.
The effects of COVID-19 are much beyond just medical concerns, and will long outlast the infection itself. Adapting to lockdowns, remote studies, unemployment, unstable housing, and the potential of family sickness and loss comprise a range of stresses, in addition to non-pandemic-specific suicide risk factors. These in turn may increase vulnerability to depression, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders and therefore suicide risk, especially among vulnerable adolescents and young people.

In this episode, we talk to Dr Soumitra Pathare, Director, Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy, who tells us that COVID-19 presents a crucial period to focus on political will, financial investments, and the global community vital imperative of suicide prevention. We also hear from Raashi Thakran, a mental health advocate who led a petition asking the Government of India to launch a National Helpline Number for Suicide Prevention and E Tharun Sai, a 21-year-old suicide survivor building a mental health startup, findhope.in

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, there is help! You can visit Sangath’s COVID-19 Well-being Center on www.sangath.in or call 011-41198666 for support.

Episode Contributors: Dr Soumitra Pathare, Raashi Thakran, E Tharun Sai
Host: Pattie Gonsalves
Produced in New Delhi by Faith Gonsalves.
Audio and music produced by Ishaan Gandhi.
Contributor management by Sweta Pal.
Artwork by Natasha Yadav.
A project of Sangath, supported by the Wellcome Trust.

Stories From A Pandemic - Inside a COVID-19 Ward

Transcript

Sangita: At that time there were so many cases so it was very difficult to get a call with 108 (ambulance). There was a 3-day waiting period so if I called today on a Friday, my turn will come on Sunday so you can understand what my condition would be till Sunday. If my oxygen level is down or if my corona level has increased a lot - you know what the symptoms are - at that time, so at that time what will I do at home for 2 days? What can we do? We can drink hot water or do some ayurvedic reme