Patients at a quarantine centre set up in one of the buildings of a private residential complex in Manpada, Thane, have alleged a lack of many basic facilities. Patients said that food is served only twice a day and no hot water is provided. Additionally, they claimed that Covid-negative patients are made to stay with those who tested positive, increasing their risk of infection.
“Our basic complaint is the lack of adequate food and its quality. Lunch is served at 1pm, while dinner is served at 10pm, with no tea or snacks for nine hours in between. Many old, diabetic patients and children suffer due to these timings. Moreover, breakfast is very meagre and irregular. At times, no breakfast is served. My in-laws who are diabetic need food on time and face difficulty in this centre,” said a 40-year-old woman who has been quarantined at the centre along with her family members.
The Manpada facility is one of 10 civic quarantine centres in the city. The 23-storeyed building can accommodate 120 patients.
Quarantined individuals allege that there is no provision for hot water in the washrooms and people suffering from cold are forced to bathe with cold water. Hot water is also not provided for drinking.
“We do not get enough water to drink. Sometimes the water is over and not re-filled on time. In this heavy rain, we need hot water to bathe. We even asked for hot drinking water but were denied. It would be better if we were quarantined at home and could take care of ourselves rather than deteriorating here. We don’t get any immunity booster products or tablets to have if we are suspected of Covid-19,” said a 38-year-old man who was admitted to the quarantine centre along with four of his family members.
{{/usCountry}}“We do not get enough water to drink. Sometimes the water is over and not re-filled on time. In this heavy rain, we need hot water to bathe. We even asked for hot drinking water but were denied. It would be better if we were quarantined at home and could take care of ourselves rather than deteriorating here. We don’t get any immunity booster products or tablets to have if we are suspected of Covid-19,” said a 38-year-old man who was admitted to the quarantine centre along with four of his family members.
{{/usCountry}}One patient at the centre who was Covid-negative complained that he was given a bed near a positive patient and later tested positive as well.
Thane Deputy municipal commissioner Sandip Malvi said, “The allegations are baseless. Apart from the lack of hot water, there are no major problems in any of our centres. It is true that we are facing difficulty to provide hot water in some of the centres and are working on it.”
He claimed that food reaches on time and is adequate at all the centres. “Along with the patients, our staff is also provided food. We provide breakfast, lunch, evening tea and biscuits, and dinner. There is no scarcity of food. We check every morning if the patients have received breakfast. However, I will send our volunteers to check on these complaints. Our doctor is also checking on the health of every patient,” Malvi added.