Ramadan: Muslim COVID patients fast, seek relief from pandemic

Mohammed Hussain

Hyderabad: The TRS Telangana govt is taking extra care to provide nutritious meal to Coronavirus positive persons belonging to Muslim community, during the holy month of Ramadan. Most of the suspected and positive patients in the isolation centers have conveyed to the medical staff that they are determined to observe Roza (fasting).

Allowing them to fast at the Gandhi Hospital staff on the first day of Ramadan have, they provided sehri (pre-dawn meal) to patients willing to fast.

On a phone call interaction a patient from Covid-19 ward of Gandhi Hospital, the patient shared that in the ward which he was undergoing treatment. “There are 14 patients and yesterday night we have requested the doctors for fasting and not only agreed but also provided meals in the pre-dawn meal,” he added

“Here in this ward along with me there is another fasting corona patient alhamdulilah (Praise the Lord)we are offering prayers five times and asking God to relieve the world of this pandemic,” a patient from the Corona ward added.

Over 48 Muslim patients at Gandhi Hospital are fasting, and even the suspected corona patients have also been doing so during treatment.   

However, The Telangana government has directed the healthcare officials at the Gandhi Hospital (Nodal Center for Covid-19 patients), to ensure that the Muslims get balanced nutritious food for sehri and iftar, so that they do not face any issues during treatment.

The fasting patients get roti, plain rice, dal and vegetable curry for sehri which is served around 3.30 am. On alternate days, they are fed mutton or chicken curry along with roti, plain rice and vegetable curry for sehri.

After Iftar prayers, they will also be served with khichdi, flavoured oil rice (bagara rice) or vegetable biryani along with tomato chutney and chicken fry. On alternate days, these patients eat chicken biryani, plain rice, vegetable curry, dal and eggs.

For other Covid-19 patients, too, the Gandhi hospital authorities have been following a healthy diet chart. Starting with a plate of idli, bread and jam for breakfast; rice, sambar, dal and curd for lunch every day. For non-vegetarians, eggs and chicken curry are given once in a day.

All the patients are served with this nutritious diet that includes a mix of all dry fruits and fresh fruits like orange, sweet lime and bananas.

Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajender said, “The patients are served with food neatly packed in clean and fresh packets.”

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