It is not just COVID-19 positive patients, who are refused treatment in hospitals. Others too are finding it difficult to get admitted even for deliveries and heart ailments.
On Thursday, a 22-year-old pregnant woman, in an advanced stage of labour, was refused admission in at least five hospitals. Already in pain, Mamta Arun spent 12 hours in an autorickshaw as her family went from one hospital to another seeking admission. She was finally admitted to K.C. General Hospital around 12 p.m. on Thursday.
A resident of Bheemanakuppe on Mysuru Road, Ms. Mamta was undergoing ante-natal follow up at Gleneagles Global Hospital in Kengeri. “Due on Thursday, she went into pain late on Wednesday night. We rushed her to Gleneagles hospital in an autorickshaw. However, she was refused admission on the pretext that the hospital was now treating COVID-19 patients. They told us she may be at risk of getting the infection if admitted there,” said Gowri Arunkumar, a family friend who accompanied her.
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Ms. Mamta’s ordeal began from there. “We then took her to Vani Vilas but were told there were no beds. Then we went to Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences and subsequently to two BBMP hospitals in Govindarajnagar and Moodalpalya but in vain. Finally, she was admitted in K.C. General,” said Ms. Gowri.
Medical Superintendent of Vani Vilas, Geeta Shivamurthy, said the hospital was fully occupied. “After every delivery, we need a few hours to fumigate the labour room and operation theatre as we get patients from all over the city, including containment zones,” she said.
Confirming that the patient had been admitted in K.C. General after she was sent away by five hospitals, hospital medical superintendent B.R. Venkateshaiah said doctors were attending to her. “As the family did not have a hard copy of the COVID-19 negative report, the doctors have been told to take all precautions and help her give birth,” he said.
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Despite repeated attempts, Gleneagles hosiptal authorities did not comment.
In another tragic incident, a 36-year-old resident of Tannery Road, Asadulla Farhana, died after he was refused admission in at least five hospitals. Tanveer Ahmed, JD(S) spokesperson and a friend of the deceased, said the patient developed breathlessness and his family members took him to several hospitals, including Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain, Bowring and Lady Curzon, Victoria hospital, Vikram hospital, and Ambedkar Medical College Hospital. He was finally admitted in The Pulse Multi-Speciality Hospital in Girinagar, where he died on Thursday morning.
Guru Prasad, MD of The Pulse hospital, said he died of viral pneumonia. “He was in critical condition when he was brought to our hospital. His COVID-19 result is awaited,” he said.
Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said the government was working on streamlining allocation of beds to COVID-19 patients, while also ensuring that other patients are taken care. A new set of guidelines should be ready by Friday, he said.