Heart-stroke patient discharged for want of Covid report, finds no beds

Nagpur: An 84-year-old heart-stroke patient was discharged by a private hospital even before receiving reports of Covid-19. The patient then could not find beds in five private hospitals and also in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
NGO Together We Can helped the patient get admitted to GMCH and later shift back to the same private hospital after his Covid-19 report came negative.
Anusuya Kale-Chhabrani of NGO Together We Can told TOI, “It is not that only novel coronavirus positive patients are unable to find beds in private and government-run Dedicated Covid Hospitals (DCHs). Non-Covid-19 patients too are finding it difficult to get beds for want of Covid-19 reports,” she said.
As per information available from the NGO, which is coordinating between patients, administration and hospitals, the senior citizen had a heart stroke on Tuesday and was rushed to a private hospital at Ramdaspeth.
“The hospital violated Covid-19 guidelines by assuming the senior citizen to be positive despite his negative report for Rapid Antigen test while result of Real Time (RT) PCR testing was awaited. Doctors considered CT scan reports for chest to assume that the patient was Covid positive and discharged him,” said Chhabrani.
“Covid-19 cannot be confirmed based on CT scan report. Also, Covid-19 guidelines say the hospital has to discharge patient who tests positive only after finalization of bed in other hospital,” she said.
The relatives of patient made rounds of five other private hospitals which too asked for reports of RT-PCR whose results come in a day or more. The patient was taken to GMCH where too doctors cited no beds. The patient along with relatives had no option other than to sit in the corridor of GMCH.
On learning about the case through social media, Chhabrani contacted the patient’s relatives. “This ensured admission to GMCH. On Wednesday afternoon, RT-PCR report too came negative. On explaining the guidelines to the private hospital in Ramdaspeth, the patient was again moved there and treatment started. Fortunately, the patient had no complications. How can a private hospital discharge a senior citizen with heart-stroke before getting Covid report?” she said.
Despite weak immunity level and being a senior citizen, the patient had to make rounds of hospitals, sit in GMCH’s corridor and also stay for a day in presumptive ward amid community spread of Covid-19.
“Private hospitals cannot force patients for RT PCR test report before admission. They are supposed to admit patient with critical condition and get done tests after starting treatment,” said Chhabrani.
TOI had highlighted some cases where positive patients had died after struggling to find beds.