MARGAO: In wake of the COVID crisis, Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Goa is doing a commendable job as a health status information-sharing link between patient and family member at South Goa District Hospital (SGDH), Margao.
YWCA is also engaged in a project of searching and collecting oximeters which were once given to the COVID patients in South Goa. Presently, nearly 12 members of the association are seen working round-the-clock in SGDH attending to inquiry calls and informing about the patients’ health status to their families.
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To sort out the chaos of inquiries, YWCA members have anchored themselves at the hospital at the request of SGDH Medical Superintendent.
YWCA president Dr Rita Vaz said, “Since April 26 our volunteers have been engaged in this service in the SGDH. Volunteers at the desk of SGDH are attending to nearly 40 to 60 calls per day and till date they have helped nearly 760 patients and their families. Earlier, they were serving at Hospicio Hospital, Margao.”
“No one is allowed to meet or visit the COVID patient in the hospital once they are admitted. It is natural that family members get upset with regards to the health of the concerned patients. And here comes our duty”, said Dr Rita.
She said at the time when the load was increasing and chaos was witnessed in the hospital and staff shortage was a major problem in handling inquiries from patients’ family members, YWCA took the initiative to resolve the issues.
“What we do at the desk is that we collect all the information of the COVID patients admitted to the hospital on daily basis and share it with the concerned family members of the patients through phone on request. All other queries related to patients are also sorted out here”, she informed.
YWCA volunteers also help search and trace the missing patient from the hospital if any.
Berthy Braganza, one of the volunteers of the association said she felt the urgent need for middlemen between patient and relative.
“I have taken up this task on a positive note and yes there is a possibility of getting infected here. But I am here to serve humanity”, she stated.
Aileen D’Silva said she felt nice doing social service. “When the relatives face a tough time getting proper health status of their family members suffering from COVID, we try to provide the correct information,” she said.
“This is a difficult time we all are passing through wherein the families of COVID patients are too in pathetic condition. Many times relatives are unable to talk to the patient admitted in the hospital. Hence, we help those people”, said Connie D’Cruz.
The members of the association include Harriet Fernandes, Fhelen da Costa, Jesney Carvalho, Adelaide Pereira and others.
YWCA, Goa was formed and constituted by a committed and multi-disciplinary group of women. The work of the YWCA focuses on areas that engage women and children in the community. The programmes include leadership development, women and health issues, community services for vulnerable groups, and revival of the Goan art and culture.
“We have conducted a number of outreach programmes impacting the women and children of Goa. These include the ‘Adult Literacy Drive, medical camps for underprivileged women and children, breast cancer awareness walk, sustainable environmental campaigns, tree plantation drives, annual beach walks, and many more”, informed Dr Rita.
She informed that YWCA has launched a drive of collecting the oximeters once given to the COVID patients.
“I appeal to the patients to hand over those oximeters at SGDH desk if they are not in use, as the government is short of oximeters”, she added.
