Dr. Ira Almeida traces her journey from practicing as a paediatrician to becoming the Director of Goa’s lone COVID hospital in Margao
Dr. Ira was born in Dar-es-Salam, Tanzania, in East Africa, where her parents used to work. She shifted to Goa when she was eleven and joined a boarding school. She lost her mother when she had just started college, and her youngest sister was seven years old. Since then she’s used to being the responsible one among her siblings.
Dr. Ira always wanted to serve people. This led to her choice of pursuing a career in the medical field. “It wasn’t so complicated back then. I wanted to be a nurse, or a dentist, or maybe a doctor even. But my mother said, a doctor you shall be!,” she says. Her journey had just begun.
Her early years in the profession began with her graduating with MBBS. “After MBBS, I did paediatrics in GMC and later moved to Hospicio in Margao, where I’ve been working for the last thirty years. I liked the energy and fun of the busy paediatrics department at Goa Medical College. At Hospicio, it was nice setting up a new department at that time Paediatrics was like an offshoot of the Medicine Department.
Then we started the NICU, the DEIC, we expanded into preventive paediatrics, a particular interest of mine, with the Child Development Clinic, Support Group for mothers and the Positive Parenting Program.”
Dr Ira always enjoyed the energy involved in paediatrics, which led her to choosing her specialisation in the field of paediatrics. “The best thing about working with children is that they always get well. Adults just get better. It’s nice to see how parents are comforted. It’s a double joy, working with the child, and making a connection with the parents.”
The aspect of work that excites Dr. Ira is change and starting new things. Every year on the 1st of January she questions herself on what will she do during the year at the department and at the hospital.
Dr. Ira speaks on her COVID-19 experience and manning the ESI COVID Hospital in Margao. “I’ve never been so busy in my life. It’s been extremely challenging and exciting at the same time. It all started in March when the world was just waking up to COVID when we realized we needed to prepare our hospital for the challenge ahead.” She adds that their disaster plans were geared to things like handling trauma and this was a completely different ball game. They ran a drill to prepare for the worst case COVID scenario. “We divided into teams to assess preparedness. One team was fortuitously sent to ESI to check the facilities just before the government declared it to be the COVID hospital. In the beginning, we had just seven patients – all mild cases. We had a lot of time to practice drills and prepare our SOPs, which has really helped us now.
Then from mid-May the second wave appeared with the first trains coming in and the borders opening. From 1st June, with Mangor Hill being the epicenter, the cases have only risen.”
It all started in March when the world was just waking up to COVID when we realised we needed to prepare our hospital for the challenge ahead.” Dr Ira adds that their disaster plans were geared to things like handling trauma and this was a completely different ball game
There are some cases that remain etched in her memory. She speaks on one such special case. “Thirty years ago I treated a child whose father wanted to leave them and go back to his village. I told the father he couldn’t go because the child was very sick. He said he had to because his buffalo was also sick. I pointed out the child might die. He said “If the child dies by God’s grace I may have another child. If the buffalo dies my whole family dies.” I will never forget that.” She further mentions that paediatric patients mostly pull through, but if they don’t, the situation is very heartbreaking. “The tears well up even more when the parents console you and say we know you have done your best. Also when patients don’t make it but the parents still come back to you. I’m still in touch with many parents, even years later.”
Dr Ira speaks about the support received from her family, fellow doctors and the government authorities. “I’m fully supported by my family. Many of our doctors don’t feel comfortable with their family, because they are afraid of them bringing the virus home. My family hasn’t treated me differently at all.”
She praises the doctors at Hospicio saying that they are amazing and have risen up to the COVID situation prevailing in the state. “When we had to partly move to the new hospital, there was always someone to take over. Every single doctor and nurse at Hospicio is there to do any task, be it mass swabbing or starting a COVID care centre or a deputation to the COVID hospital. Because I’ve worked with them, the support I feel is very reliable and dependable. When it comes to people, my Hospicio pockets are deep. I’ve had very good support from my head office and the public health department too.” Change and new projects are what keeps Dr Ira excited. As soon as one project is over she is ready to start something new. As a COVID warrior and accomplished paediatrician, Dr. Ira concludes with her success mantra for youngsters, “I would say work hard and be ready to adapt to change”
