Kidney ailment patient dies while waiting for Covid-19 test report

A 30-year-old chronic kidney ailment patient succumbed to his disease at the government-run St George Hospital while waiting for his Covid-19 report. Later, the

A 30-year-old chronic kidney ailment patient succumbed to his disease at the government-run St George Hospital while waiting for his Covid-19 report. Later, the hospital released the body for burial without the report, which is a violation of the guidelines of the Union health ministry.

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Mohammad Rabbani, a resident of Bihar, who was suffering from a chronic kidney ailment for the last three years came to Mumbai in the second week of March to stay with his brother- Mohammad Jinal, 36, with the hope of getting cured. His brother took him to the government-run JJ Hospital.

“Doctor had told us that if his condition deteriorates, he would require dialysis. But due to the lockdown, we couldn’t take him to the hospital for it. Soon, he stopped eating,” said Jinal, who resides in Byculla.

With the help of activists, an ambulance was arranged that took him to BYL Nair Hospital, last week. But as the hospital was in the process of getting converted into a Covid-19 facility, they refused to take a non-Covid patient. Soon, his condition worsened.

On Sunday, the patient was rushed to JJ Hospital. But the hospital refused to admit the patient and referred him to St George Hospital which doesn’t even have the testing facility.

Brijesh Gadhia, a member of Kidney Warriors Foundation who helped the patient with admission said, “He was admitted in the intensive care unit of St George Hospital, but it was too late as the patient kept waiting for the test report for Covid-19.”

On Monday night, the patient was declared dead and his body was handed over to his brother who performed his last rites at Bada Qabrastan, Mumbai Central. This is without getting the test result of the patient, which is considered as the violation of the guideline of the Union Health Ministry, that has specified guidelines for the burial of Covid-19 patients to stop any possible spread of infection.

“He has two daughters in our village, I don’t know what will happen to them. I am so scared that I haven’t been able to tell them yet about his death,” said Jinal.

The dean of JJ Hospital, Dr Ranjit Maheshwar said, “I am unaware of it but will investigate the matter.”