Following complaints about quality of food being served to them at Chest Diseases (CD) Hospital, the COVID 19 patients were surprised to get special savory meals on Tuesday.
From breakfast to lunch and dinner, the patients at thehospital, a designated COVID19 healthcare facility, saw a complete change inthe menu, courtesy a joint initiative by doctors and philanthropists.
In the breakfast, the patients were served eggs and milkwhile the lunch was an assortment of dishes, from three different sources.
The change in the menu, a senior doctor at the hospitalsaid, was to “lift the spirits” of the patients who were “getting bored” of thefood cooked in the hospital mess.
“It is a very difficult time for these patients and most ofthem were feeling very low,” the doctor said.
He said the idea of pepping up the admitted patients with adifferent and rich meal came following barrage of comments on social mediacomments regarding “not-so-good” food being served to them.
For arranging the food, a group of doctors donated frommoney while a group of philanthropists also joined in.
A patient, who sent a video of his meal to Greater Kashmirsaid, “Allah bless these people. I feel like I have eaten at home after so manydays.”
OIn the video, the patient is seen relishing Biryani on hishospital bed.
The lockdown, a doctor said, has made it literallyimpossible for the families of the patients to bring home-cooked food for them.
Moreover, most of the admitted have their families inquarantine. Both patient and the families, as per the protocol, are required tobe in isolation or quarantine for at least two weeks.
A doctor said the long period of confinement of thepatients, mostly without family members, was adding to their stress.
“We understand how these patients must be feeling and wethought arranging them as a token of care for them,” said a philanthropist, whorequested anonymity.
He said their group will be arranging lunch and dinner forthe patients during their stay at the hospital.
Dr Saleem Tak, Medical Superintendent CD Hospital said theywere geared up to provide quality treatment services to the patients.
“We are leading the testing and treatment services inKashmir in the fight against COVID19. Our team of doctors is workinground-the-clock to provide best of the services,” he said.