Dialysis patient denied treatment in Delhi, dies

Another resident of Delhi whose brother is on dialysis, said that access to transportation is a major concern especially for those who do not have any personal vehicle.
Image of dialysis machines used for representational purposes.
Image of dialysis machines used for representational purposes.

NEW DELHI: The lockdown due to coronavirus has been a very difficult period, especially for critical patients. Kanchan Soni, 42, a resident of Patparganj area, had her last dialysis on April 6. Her condition started deteriorating from April 9 after she couldn’t get more sessions at the Shanti Mukand Hospital where she has been getting her treatment.

“My mother’s condition worsened on April 9 night and after much request she was admitted at Max Patparganj on next day in emergency ward. However she could not survive and breathed her last on March 11 afternoon,” said her son Rishabh Soni to this reporter.

Rishabh, who works in a medical shop said several calls were made in different hospitals including state government and private ones but no hospital accepted to take her mother as patient. His mother was on dialysis for the past two and half years.

“Her life could have been saved had the hospitals agreed to take admission. Shanti Mukand suddenly said that because of Covid19 the hospital is closed. Other hospitals also said they are not willing to take risk of any new cases owing to the virus. I had approached the police station but in vain. We had to get my mother tested first for Covid19 before she was admitted at Max,” Rishabh noted.

When contacted, the authorities at Shanti Mukand Hospital said that it has been closed a few days ago. “It has become very difficult to get the dialysis done now-a-days. First screening is done, then forms are filled. Even if one is having seasonal fever or cough, hospitals are not providing treatment. Any patient who is not regular one in a particular hospital is denied treatment. Dialysis is very much required else patients will be at higher risk. Even if one survives COVID 19, the person may face death owing to no dialysis,” said a dialysis patient living in Dwarka.

Another resident of Delhi whose brother is on dialysis, said that access to transportation is a major concern especially for those who do not have any personal vehicle.“Those who need dialysis are under high risk category. Therefore any patient who has even mild symptoms of fever or dry cough are first asked to get the screening done and then admitted. Those without any symptom are not asked for,” said Dr Shushil Kumar, Medical Superintendent of the hospital.

What is dialysis?
Dialysis performs the function of kidneys if they can no longer take care of the body’s needs

Dialysis is a treatment that filters and purifies the blood using a machine

When is it needed?
Dialysis is needed when the end-stage kidney failure develops — usually when one loses about 85 to 90 per cent of the kidney function

What does dialysis do?
When kidneys fail, dialysis keeps the body in balance by keeping a safe level of certain chemicals in your blood, such as potassium, sodium and bicarbonate
Removing waste, salt and extra water to prevent them from building up in the body
Helping to control blood pressure

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