82-yr-old patient goes missing from Covid centre, dies in another centre

An 82-year-old patient undergoing treatment at a Covid care centre, in Varun Industrial Estate has reportedly gone missing

An 82-year-old patient undergoing treatment at a Covid care centre, in Varun Industrial Estate has reportedly gone missing. On Wednesday, three weeks after the incident, a relative approached the police and filed a missing complaint with the Waliv police, only to find out he had died in another centre.

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Ramchandra Das stays alone in Vasai. Das along with his distant relative was admitted to a Covid hospital on April 22. On May 5, his relatives were informed about his discharge. However, after his relatives reached the centre to take him back home, he was found missing.

“Das’s condition worsened on April 25 so the medical staff shifted him to the Tulinj Civic hospital, but he died on April 26,” said confirmed Satish Lokhande,Commissioner,VVMC. “As the body was unclaimed and the deceased was Covid-19 positive, we cremated him at the civic crematorium and the staff took photos of the dead body of Das. As soon as I got the information,I ordered the hospital to check the CCTV footage and we found Das being moved to the Tulinj civic hospital.”

Gorachand Mukherjee, a relative who admitted Das, said, “I questioned the medical staff and searched the hospital, where around 600 patients undergoing treatment for the virus but did not find my uncle.”

“On May 11, I complained to the commissioner of Vasai civic body and am still awaiting a reply. It is shocking how a senior citizen can go missing from the centre. The hospital even did not bother me to revert or update me about my uncle’s treatment. I have demanded to hand over the CCTV footages,” Mukherjee said.

Kishore Gawas, deputy commissioner, Vasai civic body said, “This is a serious matter. I will take action against the staff for negligence and will also question the doctors attending to the missing patient.