Delhi’s COVID-19 hospital sets up video calling facility to connect patients with family

Record ID: 1560730

  • Title: Delhi’s COVID-19 hospital sets up video calling facility to connect patients with family
  • Date: 2nd July 2020
  • Summary: NEW DELHI, INDIA (JULY 2, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DAUGHTER AND WIFE OF A MAN WHO IS A COVID-19 PATIENT SPEAKING TO HIM USING A VIDEO CALLING FACILITY PROVIDED BY THE AUTHORITIES TO CONNECT WITH THE COVID-19 PATIENTS ADMITTED AT A NEW DELHI HOSPITAL (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) DAUGHTER OF A MAN WHO IS COVID-19 PATIENT, SHAHISTA, SAYING: "Feeling a lot better, he said he is feeling better and he is also getting his medicines on time and we are also feeling immensely relieved after talking to him via video call." (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) WIFE OF A MAN WHO IS COVID-19 PATIENT, SHAHANA, SAYING: "He could not even speak today, he just could not speak, he was saying that he is feeling a lot of pain in his kidney.... (sighs and breaks down)." VARIOUS OF A MAN GREETING AND CHATTING WITH HIS MOTHER, A COVID-19 PATIENT, USING THE VIDEO CALLING FACILITY PROVIDED BY THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITIES A COVID-19 PATIENT AND MOTHER OF THE MAN SPEAKING TO HER VIA VIDEO CALL, SEEN ON THE SCREEN AN ELDERLY WOMAN, WIFE OF A COVID-19 PATIENT SPEAKING WITH HER HUSBAND USING THE VIDEO CALL FACE OF HER HUSBAND LYING ON A BED INSIDE THE HOSPITAL AS SEEN ON THE VIDEO SCREEN (MUTE) ELDERLY WOMAN WIPING HER TEARS AFTER TALKING WITH HER AILING HUSBAND RELATIVES OF COVID-19 PATIENTS SITTING IN A WAITING HALL, AWAITING THEIR TURN TO SPEAK VIA VIDEO CALL WITH THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS FACE OF A MAN WEARING A MASK AS HE SITS IN THE WAITING AREA ADMINISTRATION STAFF SPEAKING WITH ATTENDANTS OF PATIENTS ASKING TO BE CONNECTED WITH THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS PIECE OF PAPER READING (English): "COVID COORDINATION CELL, LOK NAYAK HOSPITAL, NEW DELHI" HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION STAFF INTERACTING WITH RELATIVES OF PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEPUTY MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT OF LOK NAYAK JAI PRAKASH NARAYAN HOSPITAL, DOCTOR RITU SAXENA, SAYING: "Most of the times the relatives are not aware how is the condition of the patient. We are not able to explain it to them also, so, it's better to see them with their own eyes. And I am sure this psychotherapy, with this psychotherapy the patients are getting relieved, they are getting better and the relatives are also very happy." LOK NAYAK HOSPITAL WRITTEN ON THE CLOCK TOWER DOCTOR SAXENA WALKING PAST IN THE HOSPITAL CAMPUS
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2020 12:31
  • Keywords: COVID-19 India coronavirus hospital patients video calls
  • Location: NEW DELHI, INDIA
  • City: NEW DELHI, INDIA
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA001CL47Q6F
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Authorities in New Delhi's largest COVID-19 hospital have set up video calling facility via ipads to help connect family members with coronavirus patients admitted inside the hospital, streamlining pleas for better communication.
    On Thursday (July 02) a regular stream of family members was trickling into the help centre set up by the authorities to speak with their loved ones admitted inside the hospital.
    For months relatives have been complaining that they are absolutely clueless about the health and well being of their family members once they are admitted inside the COVID-19 hospital. Random videos floating on social media about poor conditions and neglect inside the hospital raise their anxiety levels.
    But on Thursday, the relatives were feeling much relieved after their brief video calls.
    "Feeling a lot better, he said he is feeling better and he is also getting his medicines on time and we are also feeling immensely relieved after talking to him via video call," said Shahista, daughter of Chhote Khan, who has been admitted in the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) hospital for the past five days after initially being diagnosed with Typhoid and then complaining of unease in breathing.
    Doctor Ritu Saxena, Deputy Medical Superintendent at LNJP, who was instrumental in setting up the facility of video calling at the hospital, said this not only eased anxiety of relatives but was also therapeutic for the patients.
    "With this psychotherapy the patients are getting relieved, they are getting better and the relatives are also very happy," doctor Saxena said.
    India has the world's fourth biggest outbreak of the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus, with over 600,000 confirmed cases and 17,800 deaths, and some of its largest cities are still reeling from rising infections.
    The increase in infections presents a severe challenge for India's strained medical capacity and overburdened health system.
    The fear of being quarantined in poorly maintained government facilities has discouraged people from getting tested, experts say, leading to fresh cases of COVID-19 even after the government imposed the world's longest lockdown.
    An easing phase called "Unlock 2" was announced on Monday, allowing more economic activities to resume.
    (production: Bhushan Kumar, Sunil Kataria)
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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