The scale and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a hot button topic across the globe. More so, because not only has this invisible virus caused health crisis, but also a major economic crisis. It has disrupted lives and livelihoods of people throughout the world. Covid-19 has affected more than 14 million people worldwide and claimed around 6 hundred thousand lives so far.

The covid-19 pandemic has served as a reminder that economies can be brought to a pause if the healthcare system in the country is inadequate. India’s total healthcare spend (out of the pocket and public) is around 4% of the GDP and majority of healthcare infrastructure is limited to the metro and state capital cities. Covid-19 pandemic crisis is a reminder of the importance of investment in the healthcare sector for any country.

Given this, coping with the situation and planning the way forward amid uncertainties, warrants a lot of grit and ability to take risks. Demonstrating all of these traits and much more, Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and Managing Director of UAE based VPS healthcare group, rose to the occasion, by guiding his team and showing them the way forward.

Foreseeing the risk for rapid spread of the viral infection in India, he came out offering support to the government in fighting the pandemic.

He encouraged the team to innovate and stressed upon the need to collaborate and adopt a more coordinated approach. Under his leadership, Medeor Hospital Manesar, has treated over 250 patients in a span of around two months.

This has been a major milestone for the hospital, which was achieved on the back of an innovative multi-disciplinary approach. For instance, involving a wide range of experienced medical professionals with an aim to achieve better patient outcome has been in medical practice from several decades. However, Medeor Hospital in Manesar has defined multidisciplinary in its true sense. For example, Anaesthesia, which used to be one of the support functions during any surgery has emerged into the limelight by working with physicians and played a significant role in the overall treatment process. The emergency response system is also working 24x7 to retrieve positive patients from home or other hospitals using all standard precautions.

Upping the ante in terms of infrastructural innovation, the hospital made the necessary changes in the infrastructural frame work. This was done to prevent cross infection, contamination and to maintain negative pressure. While making these changes, natural air flow was maintained by building buffer zones.

Keeping up the spirit, the hospital’s team of dedicated doctors, nurses and paramedic staff is working like warriors, wearing protective gears and stepping up to fight the virus each day. Communication with patients and their family members to provide psychological comfort and increase their confidence has been another major focus.

With such innovative efforts and the determination to collaborate and cooperate, the hospital has successfully treated and discharged 250 patients till date. The patients belonged to different age groups, suffering from moderate to severe symptoms and with comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, cancer, chronic kidney disease and respiratory disease etc.

Covid 19 has emphasised the need for cultivating a culture of Clinical empathy. It’s the empathetic component of medicine, which helps the clinician to build a special bond of trust, strengthening the patient’s confidence for recovery.

The Covid 19 pandemic is continuously evolving and has created new challenges. Each day we learn more about the virus with the advancement in technology to address the risk associated with disease.

Safety of employees, patients and the hospital partners is of paramount importance across our all facilities world-wide. VPS Healthcare, Global HQ Team has been actively monitoring real time status to ensure a fully clean, disinfected environment with a blueprint for maintaining safety of all team members. Employees, who tested positive during this period have been treated in the same facility by the same team. They also shared their experience and expertise in treating the patients in various VPS Healthcare hospitals in the Middle East.

Although, the race to find a vaccine and treatment for Covid-19 has been accelerated at Global level and results so far are promising. However, it is imperative for people to realise that many aspects of our life will not reset easily to their original format, instead we have to adapt change and learn to live with the virus.

Meanwhile, let’s stay safe by finding every possible way to effectively slow down the spread of virus, such as social distancing, the use of masks and good hygiene.