Lucknow woman dies, Covid positive kin say got no aid from admn

Family members of a 52-year-old woman who died in Lucknow on Monday after contracting Covid-19 have alleged “complete negligence” on the part of the administration and healthcare officials. The woman, Archana Shukla, had a brain tumour and her family members, who conducted the last rites on Tuesday, alleged that they received no help from the administration and the Covid helpline number provided by the state government.

The woman’s husband Anurag Shukla (52) and children – Atharwi Shukla (28), and Utkarsh Shukla (23) – are also Covid positive, sources said.

In a video shared widely on social media, the daughter says, “My name is Atharwi and I am a resident of Lucknow’s Aliganj area. I am making this video because I want to show that the administration is doing nothing amid the Covid surge because of which my mother died. We have had Covid-like symptoms since April 10 and no one came for (conducting) tests. We dialed the helpline number, 1075, many times. Most of the time, no one picks up. When they do, they write down the details and say that they will get in touch. My mother was a brain tumour patient and was Covid positive. She had stopped taking medicines and was bedridden. She was unable to move and could not even drink water. We called the District Magistrate and we were told we should call the Chief Medical Officer (CMO). The CMO’s number is switched off. We were given another number and we got a message from that saying the CMO is in a meeting. No one is helping (us).”

She added, “And even when she died on Monday, we did not get an ambulance. The body was at home, for hours, after which we got a paid ambulance for which we paid Rs 20,000. Her cremation was done on Tuesday morning. We are also Covid positive. We have received no help. Not even a single call with advice – about what medicines we should take… Whatever we are doing is on our own, through our personal contacts.”

Speaking to The Indian Express on Tuesday evening, Anurag Shukla said his father is “critical”. “We have called the helpline number so many times. No one has helped us,” he claimed.

While Lucknow CMO Sanjay Bhatnagar’s phone was switched off when The Indian Express reached out for comment, acting District Magistrate Roshan Jacob could not be reached as she was “in a meeting”.