Girls from tribal belt near Rowghat serving COVID patients in JLN Hospital & RC

Bhilai, May 25:
Venturing out of home in search of work is a taboo in tribal and other communities residing in interior regions of Bastar in Chhattisgarh. But for many girls from these communities in Rowghat region and nearby areas of Bastar, SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant’s CSR initiatives has reversed the picture by selecting them as students of B Sc Nursing in PG college of Nursing, Bhilai.
These girl-students are adopted by BSP’s Mines-CSR department and their higher education and stay is sponsored by BSP for the entire duration of their Nursing course. Many girls choose to then serve as Nurses in hospitals in Bhilai and nearby areas while some go back to their native places near Antagarh, Narayanpur etc to serve the local population there. During their training period and on completion of the course, these young girls are giving shape to their skills by serving COVID patients at SAIL-BSP’s 860-bedded JLN Hospital and RC that is now the biggest COVID hospital in the state. Saraswati Dugga who passed out of PG college of Nursing last year started an internship in JLN Hospital and RC in July 2020 and since then has worked in the Maternity, Surgery, Medicine and COVID ward. The guidance we are given by Doctors and Nurses and what we have learnt by observing patient-care in different wards has instilled enough confidence in us to work independently, she said.
Hailing from Khadaka village in Narayanpur, Saraswati’s mother is peon in Govt. Girls High School in her village while her father is a farmer. I never thought I’ll pursue Nursing. But here I am, all equipped with PPE kits taking care of patients with breathing difficulties, she said. Patients who get discharged compliment us for our courage and some even say that no one would have cared for us the way you did. That makes our day, she added.
Sushma Markam, also a student of PG college of Nursing began working in JLN Hospital and RC in December 2020. She has experience of serving patients in Trauma, Surgical and Child wards. Our families were initially apprehensive about us working with COVID patients, but we have dealt with the extreme rush of COVID patients in April 2021. We are posted on rotation for 7 days in COVID wards, she says. Besides giving timely medications and caring for them, we also counsel patients not to be scared of higher sugar levels and ask them to take proper diet, she added. Sarita Potai hails from Akabeda in Narayanpur district. The second eldest of 7 siblings, she feels is among the lucky few to get a chance to be sponsored and adopted by BSP’s CSR department for BSc Nursing in PG college of Nursing. I feel a sense of pride doing my duty. Having worked in the Flu clinic, and later on administering medicines and injections in the COVID ward, I’ve also learnt to deal with aggressive patients, she said. I always dreamt of working in JLN Hospital and RC and I’m glad to be fulfiling my dream, she said. We’ve learnt a lot from Senior Sisters by observing them in the hospital, she added.
Jharna Kashyap, a 4th year student of PG college of Nursing hopes her internship period at the hospital gets renewed. She has worked with aged Male COVID patients. Initially scared of working with COVID patients, she overcame her fear by working closely with other nurses and sisters. I’m grateful to BSP for taking care of my education and giving me the chance to work in its hospital, she said.
Archana Gawde shares that she picked up the nuances of caring for patients by observing BSP doctors on rounds. We monitor oxygen levels and advice proper sleeping posture to improve saturation levels, she said. Archana’s father is a farmer who grows wheat and vegetables in Tadoki village near Antagarh. She proudly states that 5 girls from her village have got a chance to pursue Nursing after being adopted by BSP.
For these young Nurses, SAIL-BSP has proved to be a game-changer in their lives. From helping them relocate from their remote locations in Bastar, giving them a chance to experience college life in a town with a safe atmosphere, taking care of their requirements, helping them hone their skills, instilling confidence and making them self-sufficient by giving them the opportunity to serve patients in the Plant’s hospital, SAIL-BSP’s Mines-CSR wing has truly transformed their lives and that of numerous others from areas in the vicinity of Rowghat.