Bengaluru: A 56-year-old Covid positive woman was allotted bed after eight hours of death. The family members were shocked when they got a call saying, “Come to the hospital within five minutes if you want a bed.” The woman died because she could not get help on time and was said to rest two hours ago.
Authorities state that not everyone needs hospitalisation but the sad reality is that everyone who is in desperate need of hospitalisation is not getting a bed to hold on to life.
On Tuesday, Regina, a Kammanahalli resident was tested Covid positive when she showed mild symptoms of the infection. Her family could not get a bed for her even though they searched everywhere. The very next day, her oxygen levels started to drop.
The family members dialled the helpline numbers the entire day. They even called a Covid volunteer named Hameed Abousheair, who rushed to their home and helped them in finding oxygen, an ICU bed or an ambulance.
Hameed said that the helpline numbers were either busy or kept ringing. He said, “After 10 pm, Regina’s son finally got through to 1912 after a lot of struggle, but those who received the call could not comprehend the gravity of the situation. They casually told him they would get back to us though we kept pleading with them for at least an ambulance with oxygen. By that time, her oxygen saturation levels had dropped to 35% and we were unable to find even an oxygen cylinder.”
Regina passed away at 4:26 am on Thursday. The family conducted the last rites with the help of Anne Morris, a Mercy Angels volunteer. The last rites were conducted at Kalpalli burial grounds at around 10 am. When the family members were in grief and shock, they received a call from 1912 which informed them about the bed availability in a Nagavara hospital. They were told that the bed would be given to someone else if they do not reach within five minutes.
Hameed said that the helplines were no good. He stated, “There couldn’t be a more crucial joke. A person died waiting for this bed and a grieving family was given an ultimatum. I am surprised and helpless. People call helplines with hope, but all they get is disappointment and indifference.”
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