Kodaikanal
A
recent case where three family members from Kodaikanal tested positive for COVID-19 has brought to light the difficulties faced by COVID-19 positive patients due to lack of home isolation option in Dindigul district.
Smriti Lamech, a resident of Kodaikanal, her husband and her 15-year-old son had tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The family members all had mild symptoms. However, Ms. Lamech’s 14-year-old daughter had tested negative for COVID-19.
The health department officials had instructed the family members that it was mandatory for them to opt for hospital admission in either a government hospital or a private hospital. So, the family members got admitted to a private hospital in Kodaikanal on Wednesday morning. They took Ms. Lamech’s daughter along with them to the hospital as they had no one else to take care of the child.
However, there were no proper facilities available at the private hospital, alleged Ms. Lamech, speaking to The Hindu. “The hospital authorities asked us to arrange our own food. Despite it being a COVID-19 ward, there was no electric kettle or steamer available for patients. Following heavy rains, the hospital roof was leaking ," she said.
Most importantly, the doctor at the hospital visited the patients only at around 10 p.m. “After informing the doctor about the situation in the hospital, we left for our residence to be under home quarantine," said Ms. Lamech.
But, the next day the police, revenue and health department officials insisted that they get themselves admitted in a hospital as there was no home isolation option available in Dindigul district. “So, we made several calls to private hospitals and finally managed to get admitted to a private hospital in Coimbatore. Through the whole process, we have fulfilled our duties as honest and responsible citizens. But, a bunch of factors - the district administration’s lack of planning for treating COVID-19 patients and absence of home isolation options for patients - have caused severe inconvenience to our family,” she said.
When contacted, M. Aravind Krishnan, Block Medical Officer of Kodaikanal, said that the District Collector had issued orders not to permit home isolation option for COVID-19 positive patients. All COVID-19 patients, irrespective of the severity of infection, must be under hospital admission for seven days according to the rules issued by the district administration, he added.
