‘Refused bed, declared asymptomatic, my relative died in two days’

The local politicians and administrative officials are constantly reassuring Nagpurians sufficient beds are available for Covid-19 patients. But the reality seems otherwise.
I came to realize this on August 19, when a close relative of mine tested positive for corona in a private hospital on North Ambazari Road. The hospital refused to admit him, claiming it had no spare beds.
The patient, who had been suffering from high fever for last three-to-four days, was semi-conscious when he was refused admission. A private hospital on Koradi Road also did not admit him, citing shortage of beds.
It was late evening by then and after getting no response from private hospitals, my family members rang up a prominent government hospital on Central Avenue. “Bring the patient tomorrow morning at 11 am as senior doctors have gone home,” was the response.
At a time when 30-40 people are dying in the city due to Covid everyday, it was shocking that doctors were not on duty at one of the city’s oldest and biggest government hospital. It is beyond imagination how hospital staffers could not realize anything could happen in these 16 hours.
Completely at loss, I contacted a colleague who sought help from a top politician who rang up the dean of the hospital and apprised him of the problem. My relatives then went to the Covid OPD of the hospital.
The doctors on-duty refused to entertain him until the dean told them to. While the patient was sitting in a corner, family members were hurriedly calling up their acquaintances seeking advice.
My colleague again called up the politician seeking intervention. After a lot of chaos and approval from the dean, the doctors finally examined my relative. After checking his body temperature and oxygen levels, they declared him asymptomatic and advised home isolation.
The dean also called up the family and told them it would be better if the patient was home quarantined as he would face inconvenience in the hospital. Going by his word, relatives took the patient home. This was probably a blunder.
In the wee hours, his condition deteriorated and he started feeling drowsy and developed high fever. In the morning when the family members bought an oximeter and his oxygen levels came at 80% against the required 95%.
They frantically tried to find a bed in the local hospitals and finally next day, found one at a private hospital outside the city limits. As the patient was unconscious and lost his phone, there was no way for the family members to know his condition.
The hospital is run by a top politician. Once again, I and my colleague contacted the owner and requested him to get us in touch with the doctor concerned.
Upon calling up the doctor, I was informed his condition was serious but not critical. After getting treatment for two days during which my relative was put on a ventilator, he passed away in the early hours of August 23.
A man, who died within two days of hospitalization, was declared asymptomatic and fit for home isolation by the government doctors. In a critical condition, he was made to do hospital hopping, all in vain.
Being journalists, at least we could pull some strings and get him treatment. I shudder to think what might be happening to the people who have no influence.
The patient, who tested positive and had been suffering from high fever for last three-to-four days, was semi-conscious when he was refused admission. A private hospital on Koradi Road also did not admit him, citing shortage of beds for Covid patients