Delhi govt recommends three doctors for Padma Awards for key role in fighting COVID

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New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (August 29) said that the Delhi government has recommended the names of Dr. Shiv Kumar Sarin, Dr. Suresh Kumar, and Dr. Sandeep Budhiraja for the Padma Awards.

He said that every year, the Centre seeks recommendations from the state governments for the Awards and the Delhi government had decided that this time only the names of doctors and paramedical staff would be recommended.

9,427 people suggested names of 740 medical professionals in response to Delhi government's appeal for seeking suggestions for the Padma Awards. Kejriwal said that a committee headed by Deputy CM Manish Sisodia has examined all the recommendations and shortlisted the names of 3 people for the Padma Awards.

ILBS Vice-Chancellor Dr. S.K. Sarin commissioned the world's first Plasma Bank, Delhi government's first RT-PCR testing facility and genome sequencing lab, shared by Kejriwal.

Kejriwal further said that under the supervision of Medical Director Dr. Suresh Kumar, Lok Nayak Hospital, treated the highest number of corona patients across the country, set up the country’s second plasma bank, and launched a video conference facility to enable COVID patients to talk to their families.

He also said that Dr. Sandeep Budhiraja, Group Medical Director, Max Hospital, is the country’s first physician to use plasma treatment.

“All doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff in Delhi are recommending these three names for the Padma Awards. They should be given the Padma Awards to fulfil the wishes of the people of the country,” said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal said, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, our frontline and medical workers, especially our doctors and paramedics, saved our lives by putting their own lives at risk. They served all of us. It is now the time to show them that the entire country is grateful to them. We respect them for their services and for saving the lives of people.”

He added, “Every year the central government asks the state governments to nominate names for the Padma Awards. The Padma Awards include Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. The government of NCT of Delhi has decided to recommend only COVID-19 warriors, i.e. doctors, paramedics, and other health care professionals this year. It was decided to invite suggestions from the public. This appeal by the Government of Delhi received an overwhelming response of 9,427 suggestions. These suggestions were received in respect of 740 different health care professionals.”

He further said, “A high-powered committee was convened for this matter. This committee was headed by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and the members of this committee were Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), and Divisional Commissioner. They scrutinised the suggestions given by the public and selected three names for the Padma Awards on behalf of the Government of Delhi.

Dr. Sarin is the Vice-Chancellor of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS). He was instrumental in setting up the ILBS, the first-ever fully dedicated Deemed-to-be Liver University in the world in 2010. He started the world’s first-ever Plasma Bank at ILBS. This Plasma Bank served people for 24 hours and on all 7 days of the week. Over 8,000 plasma units were issued from this Plasma Bank. He started the first RT-PCR facility under the Government of Delhi. Recently, he also started Delhi’s first state-of-art COVID Genome Sequencing Facility. He has worked tirelessly for the past 3 decades, which include transforming medical education as well as increasing the awareness, prevention, and access to diagnosis and treatment for liver diseases. Throughout the COVID-19 wave, he has been working relentlessly to serve the people and provide assistance to the Delhi Government.

Under Dr. Suresh Kumar supervision, the Lok Nayak Hospital successfully treated a record high of 20,500+ COVID-19 patients. This hospital treated the highest number of COVID-19 patients in India. He started India’s Second Plasma Bank at LNH. He started a unique Video Calling facility to enable COVID-19 patients to interact with their families. He also started a Genome Sequencing Lab at Lok Nayak Hospital. To meet the increased need for ICU beds during the COVID period, he increased the number of ICU beds from 50 to 900 at the Lok Nayak Hospital. He also increased the number of oxygen beds, making more than 2,000 oxygen beds available. To support pregnant women who were COVID-19 positive, Dr. Suresh Kumar played an instrumental role in setting up a dedicated labour room. Owing to this, more than 627 deliveries, including 266 successful cesarean sections, were performed at Lok Nayak Hospital. He also developed a dedicated Dialysis facility for COVID-19  patients with 17 Dialysis Machines and a 24x7 availability of the Dialysis facility. This facility provided assistance to 2,151 patients.

Dr. Sandeep Budhiraja played a crucial role in delivering care and treatment to COVID-19 patients in Delhi and North India. He was the first physician in India to use convalescent plasma for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. He was actively involved in the treatment of hundreds of COVID-19 cases through homecare, OPD, and hospital (ward & ICU). Dr. Budhiraja also provided guidance to COVID-19 patients via virtual consultancy when he himself got infected with COVID-19. He was also actively involved in spreading awareness and knowledge about COVID-19 through electronic and print media.