COVID-19 pandemic proves a nightmare for other patients as hospitals keep them running in circles

At a time when Maharashtra is under severe medical Emergency due to coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, other non-corona patients are suffering for different reasons. 

Mumbai: Jang Bahadur Singh (40), resident of Vasai East met with an accident on Monday night little did he know that getting treatment would be one hell of an nightmare for him and his family, the reason being the ongoing Corona pandemic.

According to his wife Komal her physically challenged husband Jang Bahadur Singh took a cycle ride, after venturing a few meters out of the society gate he fell down on his face. A bleeding Jang Bahadur Singh was taken to nearby Evershine hospital where they gave him some stitches on hand. The hospital authorities told his relatives that Singh is in need of urgent surgery for which he will require at least Rs. 90,000.

“We were not in a position to immediately raise such a big amount and hence asked for other options. The very next day we went to Vasai civil hospital (Petit hospital) where they took an X-ray and confirmed that he needs to be operated urgently else he will be rendered deaf for the rest of his life due to the facial fracture”, she said.

The next 12 hours were most horrific for the family. After Doctors from the  Petit hospital turned them away as the hospital was under repairs they took Jung Bahadur in an ambulance and did rounds of a couple of charitable hospitals in Vasai which turned them away saying non-corona patients were not their priority.

Then the family drove the ambulance towards Mumbai and straight to Shatabdi hospital in Kandivali they told them that the operation theatre was not working. Then they went to Cooper hospital in Vile Parle, where they were turned away as non-corona patients were not there priority. When they reached BYL Nair hospital they were advised to go to KEM hospital.

The poor, harried family when they reached the KEM hospital they were told there was no staff to conduct all the tests in the night and were asked to wait. Here again X-ray and Computed Tomography (CT) Scan was done. Also some other tests were done and the family was told come back on Thursday. 

For a teary eyed Komal Singh their cup of woes just overflowed on Thursday, although her husband was admitted more different tests were performed. But, no surgery has been performed since the last three days as doctors are waiting for corona test results. 

When asked for his comments KEM hospital, Dean, Dr. Hemant Deshmukh stated that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of treatment have to be followed. “This patient must be needing plastic surgery. This is a non-priority area, but we are not turning away patients. I will definitely look into the matter”, remarked Dr Hemant Deshmukh.-By Vipulesh Vaidya