Indian doctors provide festive cheer for patients during Diwali

Doctors and hospital staff in India provide festive decorations and food to patients and their families during the Diwali holiday.

Medical professionals at various facilities, including Ruby Hall Clinic and Poona Hospital and Research Centre, decorate wards with lights and distribute traditional Diwali faral, a festive snack, to the relatives of those staying in the hospital. Doctors say that seeing a patient move closer to recovery feels like a celebration in itself during the holiday period.

The way hospitals manage the festivities depends on the patients' medical needs. For those who must stay in the hospital due to serious conditions, staff prioritize privacy and emotional well-being, offering small festive touches that fit with the patients' dietary requirements. In contrast, some patients choose to have elective surgeries, such as joint replacements or gallbladder removals, during the holiday so that family members can stay with them for support.

At Healing Hands Clinic, staff coordinated with nursing and insurance teams to ensure a patient could be discharged in time for the festival after an emergency surgery. For patients who remained in the intensive care unit due to complications like sepsis, the clinic invited relatives to join in traditional puja celebrations to help them experience the togetherness of the holiday.