Metropolis Healthcare Ltd

Living in a pandemic, I have seen many lives change. This includes mine too. It’s been difficult for the society at large with families and relatives being distant from each other. Like for instance, my family being stuck at Akola ever since the implementation of the lockdown. Although my organization, with whom I have been working for the last 5 years, made arrangements for my stay. But since my family’s been away, I prefer to stay in the comfort of my own home. My experience of about 10 years in the medical field has helped me cope up in current situations. And support to me at every step is my better half, who also is a part of the medical fraternity. It’s the commitment and passion towards our profession that makes us a great team. In recent times, we have come across many challenges and we are prepared to face many more. We are certain that now is not the time to quit. A pandemic can cause panic. It’s something we see every day. Once people undergo the test, they seem to get tensed. And what follows are endless phone calls following up on results. While we assure accuracy, and follow protocols to ensure safety, the testing process can get time-consuming. But it’s something we take seriously. In fact, we had a recent case where a visitor was stuck in the city for about 3-4 months, and couldn’t head back home. Team Metropolis sprung into action and made sure that his reports were delivered to him at the quickest, so he could make his way back home. The 8-hour working routine is no more a reality. The current situation demands us to stay put for longer hours. It’s all a part of safeguarding the health of people. And as we continue to put in our time and effort to ensure better health, I would request people to adhere to a few norms such as social distancing, use of hand sanitizers, etc. These small acts can really make a difference. Stay safe. #MetropolisLabs #COVID19Combater

“If there’s one thing I have learnt being a phlebotomist for 14 years, it’s to be on my toes when and where duty calls, even if I have to go that extra mile. Visiting people at their home, collecting samples and being a part of their journey towards better health is something that makes me feel that I have a purpose in life. Even more so in the current health crisis. Before the lockdown, I was operating out of the Metropolis centre at Churchgate and once the lockdown was announced, I was appointed at the government-initiated drive-through centre in Dadar. Since the trains were shut, commuting by bus was the only option. Sometimes, I had to wait 2-3 hours to board a bus. Although the government’s initiative of a drive-through testing centre brought convenience to people and patients, there were multiple challenges we faced. But keeping in mind the health of the ones depending on us, we did not stop working or collecting samples. Since the spread of the virus, I have seen people getting anxious about their COVID-19 reports even before it reaches them. In one of the cases, a patient who tested positive for COVID and was placed under home quarantine. When the people in his housing society learnt this, they started to feel uneasy about this fact. I was informed about this by the patient and soon enough, I helped clarify the situation with the society members. My message to the people is that I understand that these are difficult times. Everyone is scared for their health. And we at Metropolis assure that we’re with you at every step. We ensure that every report is rechecked multiple times because you deserve to know accurate details about your health.” #COVID19Combater #MetropolisLabs

When COVID-19 hit, as a phlebotomist, I realised the magnitude of the challenge we were up against. As the Deputy Section Head at Metropolis, Mumbai, I could not afford to sit back and just supervise the work of my phlebotomy team who were deluged by the sheer number of samples that needed to be collected for testing. So I got down to doing what I had started off 4 years ago and got back to the field. From Worli, where my office is located, I started doing the rounds of a hospital in Byculla where the pathology lab was run by us to collect samples. I had a bike, but cops in their zealousness would often stop and question me for travelling on the road during the lockdown. So I started walking from Worli to Byculla every single day - a good 8 km away to avoid being stopped and then would walk back to Worli to deposit the samples. I also often walked to Lower Parel to collect reports. I have shared my personal contact numbers with patients and relatives because in these times its not about work hours, but that every hour counts. People are worried and I often receive calls even at 3 and 4 am. I haven’t had a good night’s rest for long, but it doesn’t matter. I am not worried about my safety. For me, the safety of people who come to us, matters most. My father is no longer alive, but I am following in his footsteps and I am sure he is watching from above, feeling proud that I am continuing his work. I recently received a COVID-19 Seva Ratna certificate of appreciation from a public service organisation for my dedication and service. While I feel happy about that, I feel I am just doing my job. There’s so much more to do. This is work and this is what our Management team has taught us. #COVID19Combater #MetropolisLabs