As India faces an unprecedented second wave of the Wuhan coronavirus, heart-wrenching tales of sorrow continue to come out from the country. In Jharkhand, while the state Health Minister was on a hospital visit for inspection, a Covid patient died outside the hospital with no doctor available to treat him with the howls and cries of a helpless daughter falling on deaf ears.
In an unfortunate turn of events, a Covid patient who was brought from Hazaribagh to Ranchi for better treatment died outside Sadar hospital while waiting for the doctors to tend to him. Incidentally, State Health Minister Banna Gupta was visiting the Sadar hospital for inspection and taking stock of the facilities being provided to the Covid patients.
The family of the deceased Covid patient alleged that they kept on seeking help from the doctors for several hours but no one turned up to attend to the patient. Perhaps, the doctors were busy with Gupta’s visit. According to a report by Amar Ujala, while the minister was meeting the patients inside, all the medical staffs were busy attending and greeting him.
In a heartbreaking video, which has now gone viral, the daughter of the deceased could be seen screaming and crying as she said, “Mantri ji! We kept on shouting for the doctors but no one turned up to help my father. We were standing outside for my father to get admitted to the hospital but no one was there to attend him and finally, he succumbed for want of treatment.”
She yelled, “Will the minister be able to return my father.”
The daughter of the deceased Covid patient also claimed that the politicians only come to them to seek votes and don’t care for their well being nor are concerned for their sufferings as she disdained over the fact that people are dying over lack of treatment.
Gupta in his defence said, “A woman started crying after her father died. I am shaken by the incident. I have ordered an inquiry.”
The Jharkhand Health Minister said, “Every day the number of Covid patients is increasing and we have to make alternate arrangements of beds accordingly. We have already asked the private hospitals to reserve 50 per cent beds for COVID patients.” He added, “Whatever maybe the flaws, we are trying to remove them.”
State BJP Chief Deepak Prakash took to Twitter to say, “The woman lost her temper before the health minister as she lost her father due to the negligence of the State Government. After all, when will the Chief Minister realize his responsibilities.”
https://twitter.com/dprakashbjp/status/1381913523886858244
The above incident not only speaks of the sad state of health services in Jharkhand but also of how certain politicians contribute to it. It is unfortunate the same elected representatives who are tasked with protecting their people from the virus are becoming a reason for Covid related deaths.
