Rekha Kumari (30), Nursing officer AIIMS
Although her family lived in the same city, Rekha Kumari preferred a makeshift hostel at AIIMs Trauma centre for months. Her visits home could increase the risk to her family and would mean days of quarantine and hampering her work.
Her family comprised of elderly parents with underlines illnesses and two small nephews.
She was one of the first to sign up for Covid patient care, at Indias premier tertiary care hospital, AIIMS, when the medical fraternity was still struggling to understand the nature of corona virus.
In the 18 bedded ICU, she says on an average 30 patients were admitted each month. ``Some months there is a spike than things, it’s a cycle. Post Diwali scenario has been bad, we hope it gets better soon,’’ she said.

The thirty year old who lives with her joint family in West Delhi, in India’s capital, just half an hour drive from her place of says she lived in comfort at her accommodation in Vishram Sadan-which otherwise is an Inn for patients and attendants, she however missed her family. ``It did get lonely at times but it was the work which kept me going ‘’, she said.

Although for most people, Covid related work meant fear and uncertainity, Kumari says it excited her. ``It was an opportunity of a life time. I wont say there was no fear but we adapted soon”.

This was first time in medical profession, that the lines between the staff and attendants have been blurred . ``The patients were alone without attendants and we were their family while they were ill, so we developed bonds with them. There was a patient who was on a ventilator, with very little chance of survival. He however recovered . Once he was transferred out of the ICU, his family was out waiting for us, to say Thank u. That gave me huge satisfaction,’’ she added.

Her hardwork was recognised. As a special invitee of the president of India she attended the independence day dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan. ``I will say it was my lifetime achievement award’.