E-Paper
Kin of suspected Covid-19 victims made to scramble for bodies at Ludhiana civil hospital
As the test reports are delayed, the bodies of the deceased already keep lying in the hospital for nearly two to three days
The ordeal of kin of the suspected Covid-19 victims seems to be unending. Besides being denied treatment at private hospitals, the kin of the deceased have to run from pillar to post for possession of the body at the civil hospital.
As the test reports are getting delayed, the bodies of the deceased keep lying in the hospital for nearly two to three days, while the kin of the victim battle with anxiety.
Mukesh, elder brother of 10-year-old girl who died at the civil hospital on Friday, said it was on Sunday that the family learnt that the deceased was tested negative for coronavirus.
His ordeal did not end here. Mukesh had to look for the body, as there was no one to guide him.
“We weren’t informed whether my sister had tested positive for the virus or not. Police told the family that she had tested negative. On Sunday, I visited the civil hospital, where I was told to collect the body but nobody informed me from where or guided me through the process. After shuttling from one office to another for over an hour, I was told that the body was kept in the mortuary. There I was asked to show the report. Again I went to the doctor concerned, who gave me a slip and thus the body was released,” said Mukesh, who has lodged complaint with the health department in this regard.
He said that compassion was completely amiss. “We were already going through a tough time as my sister could have survived had she been given the treatment on time. And to top it all, the indifferent attitude of the health department has disappointed us,” said Mukesh.
He is not alone, relatives of Paramjit Kaur narrate similar ordeal.
Sukedev Singh, son of 60- year- old Paramjit Kaur who died on Saturday, said neither doctors nor the staff did anything to save his mother.
“First the private hospital denied admitting my mother on learning that she had breathing difficulty. And when I took her to the civil hospital, the staff there told me why I have brought her to the hospital. No one came near my mother and I helplessly watched her die. Instead of hospital, I got a call from the police that my mother was tested negative. It is painful that doctors first delayed the treatment and then remained mum about the test report,” said Sukhdev Singh.
Surinder Kumar, a resident of Amarpur, said that he was shifted from flu corner to isolation ward. “For two days no one even checked about my health. The place is fully infected and sanitisation has been given a complete miss,” said Suresh.
Following all guidelines: SMO
Senior medical officer (SMO), civil hospital, Ravi Datt said, “We are following the guidelines. First, our rapid response team visit the locality and home quarantine the person if they find any symptom. Then suspected patients are rushed to the hospital. If the report comes out negative, the patient is sent home with an instruction to remain home quarantine for two weeks. In the case of death, we inform the police chowki located on the hospital premises and the police officer concerned gets in touch with the family of the deceased.”
