Manchester medic saves his father’s life

Fourth-year student at The University of Manchester, Devershi Parekh, used his medical training to save his father’s life after he contracted COVID-19.

Devershi is studying Medicine and is seeing out his clinical years at Royal Preston Hospital. He was visiting home when his father, Bipin Parekh, 49, believed he had coronavirus, and called NHS 111 for advice. The phone line operators urged him to try and stay at home to recover. Bipin followed this instruction, but was monitored by son Devershi, who checked his blood pressure, chest and temperature daily.

One day, after noticed a “crackling” noise in his father’s chest, Devershi decided it was time to seek further medical assistance. He called their GP surgery who immediately phoned for an ambulance. Mr Parekh was transferred to hospital, testing positive for COVID-19 and spent a period of time on a ventilator. Nurses clapped as Mr Parekh was allowed to go home after a lengthy stay of 13 days.

“The doctors said I was lucky to survive. If I hadn’t gone in when I did, I wouldn’t have made it.” said Bipin Parekh.

Humble about the attention he has received, Devershi felt that: “It was really the doctors and nurses who looked after him. I’m just relieved I listened to his chest when I did”.

The whole family was thrilled when they could finally be reunited after such a challenging time. Everyone was relieved, Devershi said: “When I saw him again I was really emotional because I never thought I’d see him again.”

Bipin said he was incredibly grateful to the NHS staff who treated him at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, north-west London.