Dr Richa Chatrath, 27

Nodal officer at Chanpreet Memorial Charitable Hospital, Jalandhar

JALANDHAR: Nine-month pregnant, Dr Richa Chatrath, 27, has been performing her duty as the nodal officer at the Covid ward of Chanpreet Charitable Hospital. A physiotherapist, she is primarily tasked with preparing the database and health-related data at the hospital, but she also takes care of mental counselling as well physical rehabilitation of patients through video calls.

“My mother tested positive four months ago. I treated her at home, which made me realise that if I could do it for her, then why not for other patients. I then decided to join the hospital to serve people amid this pandemic,” she says.

When one of the patients was mentally stressed, she also counselled him daily through video calls, and has been continuing with it with other patients as well. “Besides relieving their mental stress through counselling and other techniques, patients need to do chest, breathing and other exercises as well to remain active during the isolation period. So, I take sessions on breathing exercises or other physiotherapy techniques through video calls,” says Dr Richa.

Working while being pregnant is challenging, says the young motherto-be, but she has never been afraid of the coronavirus, as she has been taking all the precautions. “I feel eternal satisfaction for being able to serve Covid patients and contribute towards saving lives,” she says.