National Burn Center in Airoli features gym, play area for kids to make sense of staff work-life balance
Dr. Sangeeta Ravat, Dean of KEM Hospital and Psychiatrist Dr. Anjali Chhabria at NBC’s New Gym
The National Burn Center in Airoli, new mumbai, took a significant step to raise the mental health quotient of its workforce, opening an on-site daycare, playground and fitness center on the weekend. The sprawling center treats people with heat and flame injuries and aims to try to give survivors a near-normal functional life.
Several special guests spoke before the ribbon cutting of the new facility on a Sunday morning when Airoli-Sector 13 had put on its best face. Raindrops clung to green everywhere and birds sang in the green setting of NBC. Several guests at the opening commented on the resort-like setting that set the mood on Sunday morning.
Dr. Sangeeta Ravat and Dr. Sunil Keswani, NBC’s chief medical officer, on the playground. Photos/Sameer Markande
Said psychiatrist Dr. Anjali Chhabria, who was invited to speak at the function: “When we have a burn incident, the person affected is not only physically scarred but also mentally scarred.” The doctor told of a young cousin who survived burns. “He had to fight the stigma and acted difficult because that was his way of expressing himself,” he said. Chhabria reiterated that with these initiatives and the awareness induced by the pandemic, mental health is getting the space it deserves in people’s minds, in the planning, policies and programs of government agencies and institutions.
The main guest, Dr. Sangeeta Ravat, Dean of KEM Hospital, said in her speech: “This is a beautiful center and the new initiatives are indicative of a holistic approach to healing. The treatment of burn patients is very challenging and delicate, as they are extremely susceptible to infection. We also have to remember that patients have to leave their families and live here sometimes for three or four months. I love the idea of a playground, if we had a little more space I would also like to start a children’s playground on the KEM premises.”
The National Burn Center in Sector 13 of Airoli. Photos/Sameer Markande
Dr. Sunil Keswani, NBC’s chief medical officer, said a big part of managing patients is making new facilities available to them, but also taking healthcare workers into account. “Especially in public hospitals, the ratio of nurses to patients is woefully low. I know places where the ratio is one nurse to 60 patients. India cannot claim great advances in public health, no amount of instruments or gadgets can cut it if the skilled labor is so inadequate.”
open season
With the points made and the wisdom dispensed, it was time for the ribbon cutting. The colorful nursery for the employees’ children opened to applause. “We have two ‘maaushis’ from anganwadis, to take care of the children,” explained Keswani. A play area was also opened next to the nursery, its colorful palette of paint attracted children. “This is for the children of the employees and the children who are being treated here, the burn survivors,” Keswani said, smiling as some children at the facility jumped up and down with excitement at their first sight of the playground.
Psychiatrist Dr. Anjali Chhabria (left), Dr. Sangeeta Ravat, Dean of KEM Hospital, and Dr. Sunil Keswani, NBC Chief Medical Officer, on the playground
A gym was also opened. Keswani said: “Employees often say they spend long hours here and don’t have time to go somewhere to exercise. We are located in a healthy environment, but for many commuting is time consuming so they don’t need to go to the gym, the gym has come to them!” When the ribbon was cut, Dr. Chhabria and Ravat lifted the weights in the facility, while those gathered cheered.
Keswani thinks it’s also important to look at the happiness index of workers. “We have trainers in our gym. A fit person and a calm mind, when we exercise our brain releases feel-good hormones called endorphins, which translates into a better workforce and consequently better health care,” she stated. The same thought of putting happy and holistic in health care led Keswani to oversee the opening of a butterfly park on the hospital campus a few years ago.
The new facilities went live yesterday with the gym in particular, putting a new spin on burns with a bit of humour. This center not only treats burn patients, but is now a place where staff, including doctors, can also burn calories.
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