COVID-19 Pune: 62-year-old woman dies due to bed shortage

Pune: With the rising number of COVID-19 positive cases in the rural areas of the district, citizens staying in areas just outside the city limits are suffering the worst. No facility of institutional quarantine, labs for conducting tests or getting good treatment, patients from these areas are helpless. On Saturday (July 4), a 62-year-old woman from Gujar-Nimbalkarwadi died due to non-availability of good healthcare facilities. 

Villagers alleged that the deceased woman had tested positive for COVID-19 eight days before her death, but was asked to stay at home due to shortage of beds. She was shifted to a hospital after her condition worsened, but there was no ventilator facility available due to which she succumbed to the disease.

Vyankoji Khopade, Village Head (Sarpanch) of Gujar-Nimbalkarwadi said, "The health department of Zilla Parishad is not providing healthcare facilities to COVID-patients. So far, there are 10 cases reported from the village, but no official has visited our village. We are ready to make a hall available for the administration."

Mahesh Kadam, Social Activist from Katraj-Bhilarewadi area said, "Apathy and lackadaisical attitude of district health officials have resulted in the increase of COVID cases in these villages. This will indirectly affect the city too. The administration should take this issue seriously and take appropriate actions."

Dr Bhagwan Pawar, District Health Officer of Zilla Parishad said, "We will not tolerate any irresponsible act from local health officials and staff. We will also inquire into the death of the elderly woman from Nimbalkarwadi area. To keep a check on the rising number of cases in Haveli taluka, we have formed independent check squads."

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The pandemic has affected the country badly. Be it a small village or a big town, people are surviving through difficult times. 

Problems faced by villages
* Suspected patients are not attended immediately
* Delay in the collection of the swab and conducting tests
* Health officials are not contacting suspected patients or those who have tested positive
* No facility to take suspected patients to 'COVID Care Centres' immediately
* Shortage of beds resulting in a delay in treatment
* No medical supplies to home quarantined patients

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What measures should be taken
* Increase the number of beds available for patients
* Institutional quarantine facility should be made available in each village
* One COVID Care Centre behind 10 villages should be the norm
* Make ambulances available for tests and treatment
* Provide medicines to home quarantined patients
* Make treatment facility available at office buildings