Covid-positive man dies waiting for hospital bed

A57-year-old man, who tested positive, died within a day of getting his results. His family took him to three Covid-19 facilities, including Rajawadi hospital where they kept him waiting for six hours for a bed. A resident of Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar in Ghatkopar East, Vishal Jangam said his retired father, who was recently found to be diabetic, was taken to a doctor when he complained of uneasiness. The physician attributed the condition to diabetes.

“However, his X-ray showed lung infection, so the doctor asked for a Covid test. On Friday night, we found out that he had tested positive. Next morning, we took him to a municipal school that has been turned into a quarantine centre. Our house is small and other members were at risk of infection,” said Jangam. Meanwhile, the family had informed the local civic authorities and the corporator.

Around noon, the doctors at the school told the family that the patient required special care and must be shifted to a hospital. “We reached Rajawadi hospital around 1.30pm only to be told there was no bed available. They suggested taking him to Nair Hospital but said they had no ambulance to carry him there. We contacted former corporator Namdev Ubale who called up the hospital authorities. They informed him that some beds would be vacated around 9.30pm. By then, our wait had extended to three hours,” informed Jangam.

As per city survey, space for a 200-bed hospital in Ghatkopar (East) was reserved 20 years ago. An SRA project and an RTO office are under construction in that area but there’s no sign of the hospitalNamdev Ubale, former corporator

At night, the hospital administration said they had arranged to transport some patients including Vishal’s father to Mulund’s Mithagar school. “The school didn’t have ICU facilities. I had to help the staff shift my father who died in my arms,” said Jangam.

Calling the incident unfortunate, Dr Vidya Thakur, dean of Rajawadi hospital, said, “No doctor likes to lose patients. There is a genuine shortage of beds in our hospital. We are dealing with a new disease and don’t know its effect on people. I will request families of positive patients to get in touch with local civic authorities to get information about empty beds before moving them.”

Jangam, however, blamed the civic administration for his father’s death. “My father may have been alive today if the civic authorities showed better coordination among them. We could have taken him to another hospital instead of waiting for beds at one facility,” he said. Ubale, who reached out to the hospital administration on the family’s behalf, said that this situation brings forth the condition of healthcare facilities in the area.

“As per the city survey, space for a 200-bed hospital in Ghatkopar (East) was reserved 20 years ago. An SRA project and an RTO office are under construction in that area but there’s no sign of the hospital. Similar suggestions and plans to upgrade healthcare facilities must have been ignored all over the city, thus creating undue pressure on the existing facilities, which can’t keep up with the growing population,” he said.