Can we do without them?

Dr. Michi and her team of doctors at Kasturba Hospital, Mumbai, work tirelessly with COVID-19 patients even as the whole world stays home. They do their part to save lives. Dr. Michi and team has seen it all – from foreign and Indian patients walking into the hospital in the early days of the outbreak to fear and panic as the virus grew to be a global pandemic. “The one thing the pandemic has brought to the forefront is the importance of public health and preventive medicine,” she says, adding, no matter what the risks are, her team serves selflessly as there is nothing greater than humanity.

They risk their lives to save ours.

.Mr. Sharad Naik, Asst. Commissioner of Police and the Mumbai police teams are the heroes on the frontline in the coronavirus fight.

"The spread of corona-virus infection has impacted us all. For me personally, I can see that my family is stressed. I have a dual responsibility – the safety of society as well as my family. These are testing times for us. I am happy that IDFC FIRST Bank has provided protective gear such as masks and especially hand gloves to us, as they are very important right now. Such gestures mean a lot to the police force."

A young team of 15 BMC

They visit homes in the pandemic-hit slums of Govandi, a red zone, surveying and testing to detect the spread of infection, based on information from hospitals and testing labs. Post the testing, if the patient if positive he or she is sent to the hospitals or isolation centres depending on symptoms. The doctors are exposed and susceptible to infections. Dr. Anagha Patil, who leads the team, says women doctors even work on night shifts as they race against time to beat the virus.

IDFC FIRST Bank thanks the frontline BMC health workers for their service. As a gesture of gratitude, the Bank has distributed gloves and masks - both N95 as well as those sewn by our women entrepreneurs. Dr. Praful Yadav, Nodal Officer, BMC M East Ward, says, “The situation is very critical. Thank you IDFC First Bank for the important help. Please stay home and stay safe.”

Livelihoods in a Lockdown

For women who were breadwinners, the coronavirus came like a wave, washing away their livelihoods. IDFC FIRST Bank helps them get back on their feet by enabling a livelihood even in a lockdown. The Bank funds and enables women stitch 3-layered cloth masks through NGO, Etasha Society and distributes the masks free to communities in Delhi. Masks are stitched, washed, ironed and quarantined before distribution. While wearing a cloth mask prevents people from potentially transmitting an infection to others, it also gives financial support to women from underprivileged backgrounds.

It’s a time to give.

The pandemic has pushed people over the edge. But perhaps the most vulnerable are those who have pre-existing respiratory diseases and don’t have enough money to buy themselves a mask. IDFC FIRST engages women entrepreneurs for stitching masks at home and distributes it free to those who need it the most. Masks made by women entrepreneurs, supported by IDFC FIRST Bank and Etasha Society, were given to TB Alert India in Delhi, for distribution among TB patients in underprivileged communities.

They put their lives on the line for others

In April, Mumbai’s 100-year old Nair Hospital became the COVID teaching municipal hospital. Only COVID patients would be admitted. A specialised team had 4 days to get the wards COVID ready, one week for 300 beds and 3 weeks for 600.

Led by Dr. Mohan Joshi, Dean, work started on a war footing. Clinicians became administrators. But patients kept pouring in while work was still on. That’s when Dr. Surbhi Rathi, Dr. Shailesh Mohite and Dr. Sarika Patil stepped in, donned PPEs and became frontline corona warriors. They visited the wards not once, but over three times a day, putting themselves at risk, because it was in a clinician’s blood to do anything for their patients. Today, the hospital stands tall at 22 wards.

IDFC FIRST commends the dedication of the doctors who went beyond the call of duty for the nation. The Bank has donated N95 masks, medical masks and gloves to the hospital. Nair hospital has thanked the Bank for its support.