Mumbai ‘hospital’ity

Last month I happened to catch a fleeting whiff of medicinal alcohol in a cosmetic store and much like Proust whose  biting into a madeleine triggered a remembrance of things past, this pungent, medicinal smell unleashed a torrent of unpleasant memories of visits to the hospital over the past four decades.

There is a strong association with pain and suffering linked to that distinct, unpleasant ‘hospital smell’ which brings back the worst memories of death and disease.

I tried to rid myself of that awful smell of suffering and said a little prayer of gratitude that it had been more than 5 years since I had needed to step into a hospital.

But the Gods can be cruel and often pluck us for their sport and so, right on cue, the very next day, my 73-year-old mother slipped whilst walking at home and suffered a hip fracture.

Her doctor informed us that she required surgery immediately and would have to be hospitalised for at least ten days.

I was filled with dread as the ambulance approached the hospital recommended by the doctor. This was a place I frequented as a child to visit an old family servant who was dying of cancer and I was mortified of stepping into it again.

But the recently renovated Saifee Hospital at Marine Lines proved to be a true revelation.

It has been transformed from a run down, dingy hovel into the most modern, state-of-the-art medical facility in Mumbai by the Syedna, the spiritual leader of the Bohra community.

Everything in this hospital is spanking new and sparklingly clean and I was amazed at how efficiently this place was run. Fully computerised and boasting the most modern medical equipment this place epitomised the new, improved face of health care in the city.

Obviously anxious to make my mother as comfortable as possible we opted for a deluxe room and were pleasantly surprised to find it came with a commanding view of the Arabian Sea, a 42-inch plasma TV, fridge, microwave, remote controlled beds and curtains and even Wi-Fi in every room!

The best surgeons and doctors are affiliated with this  hospital and the staff is exceedingly well trained and courteous -right from the nurses and ward boys to the administrative personnel.

And it's not just the rich who are assured of great medical care here. The general wards are also infinitely superior to anything else available in the city and the Saifee trust ensures that the poor get treated at subsidised rates regardless of which faith they belong to.

It warmed my heart to see that this was a truly secular institution which employed people of every caste and creed and did not discriminate against any community.
We stayed ten days and celebrated Eid and Dassera there without feeling sorry for ourselves for being stuck in a hospital.

Not once did I get a whiff of that otherwise ubiquitous “hospital smell” and when my mother was finally discharged I said another little prayer of gratitude.

This time to thank God that the only hospital drama  we witnessed over the last ten days was on the 42 inch  plasma screen.
fahad@dnaindia.net