On Friday, Ludhiana had only seven beds available in level 3 Covid care as per the Covid status report of the state. (Representational)
ON THE intervening night of July 22 and 23, a heart patient complaining of breathlessness was brought to DMCH emergency but he was denied a bed. He could not get a bed in any of the major hospitals of Ludhiana for hours. In the afternoon of July 23, he died.
On July 24, a 49-year-old patient did not get a bed in DMCH. He was taken to civil hospital where he died because there was no ventilator. On July 29, a 56-year-old patient with kidney problem fell unconscious after having dinner. He was taken to DMCH, but his attendants were told there is no bed and hence he should be taken to some other hospital. The patient was on dialysis for some time. Later, he was taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.
The Youth Akali Dal protested outside the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital on Friday saying that it was a failure of Mission Fateh. “One of the patients was my relative who died on July 23. He was a sweet shop owner. These are three cases which are in our knowledge. There are many more patients who are being denied admission in private hospitals,” said Gurdeep Singh Gosha, president of Ludhiana unit of Youth Akali Dal. “If this is the condition of private healthcare, what can one expect from government hospitals?”
On Friday, Ludhiana had only seven beds available in level 3 Covid care as per the Covid status report of the state.
Gosha said, “Even Congress leaders, including MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, visit hospitals for a photo session. It is really scary for patients these days. Fearing such a treatment, many sick patients are not getting tests done and many others are not coming to hospitals.” The protesters were carrying pictures of Prem Kumar Gupta, secretary of DMCH Managing Society, and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.
Gupta said, “This is is a crucial time and we, as a hospital, are busy providing best services to patients. We don’t want to comment on any person’s baseless allegations. Our hospital staff is working overnight to meet the heavy influx of patients.”