Jharkhand: COVID patient dies outside hospital while minister was on inspection inside

RANCHI: The harsh reality of the situation of health services post sudden rise in COVID-19 cases was on diplay in Jharkhand on Tuesday when a patient who was brought from Hazaribagh to Ranchi for better treatment died outside Sadar hospital here waiting for the doctors to attend him.

Meanwhile, State Health Minister Banna Gupta was busy inside the same hospital taking stock of the facilities being provided to the COVID patients. 

The family members of the deceased alleged that they kept on seeking help from the doctors for several hours but no one turned up to attend the patient due to which he died.

They reached here in the morning but could not get a bed in any of the private hospitals and finally reached Sadar Hospital where he was made to wait outside for several hours in the scorching heat, finally leading to his death.

Family members of a COVID patient, who died outside Sadar Hospital in Ranchi while waiting for hours for treatment, shouted at health minister Banna Gupta who reached there for a surprise inspection.@NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard pic.twitter.com/9Z11Pt6NQb

— Mukesh Ranjan (@Mukesh_TNIE) April 13, 2021

By the time he was taken inside, he was declared dead by the doctors.

While coming out of the hospital with the dead body, the family members came across the minister who was also coming out of the hospital. As soon as they saw him, they lost their temper and started shouting at him for failing health services in the State.

“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,” daughter of the deceased shouted on the minister.

"Will the minister be able to return his father," she yelled.

She also alleged that they come to the people only to seek votes for them but otherwise they are not concerned for their sufferings. The condition is really worse and people are dying due to lack of treatment, she said. 

The Health Minister, however, said that everywhere there are problems and they are trying to remove.

"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," said the health minister.

"Whatever maybe the flaws, we are trying to remove them," he added.

Meanwhile, State BJP President Deepak Prakash alleged the woman lost her father only due to the negligence of the State Government.

"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,” State BJP Chief Deepak Prakash tweeted.

Earlier, the State BJP Chief also wrote a letter to the Chief Minister requesting him to arrange beds for patients, proper oxygen supply, additional ventilators along with paramedical staff and doctors in adequate numbers.  

In the wake of increasing number of COVID cases in Jharkhand, health emergency must be declared in the State, he added.