BERHAMPUR: Distressing as it may sound, family members of an infected patient undergoing treatment at Tata COVID hospital here were informed about his death on Tuesday, five days after he succumbed to the virus.
The victim, 49-year-old Basant Kumar Sahu of Ganapati Nagar within Badabazaar police limits, tested positive and was admitted to the COVID hospital on July 19. Basant used to remain in touch with his family members over phone till July 24.
However, he became incommunicado and his family contacted the hospital’s helpline number. The person manning the helpline informed them that Basant was in the ICU. The family members decided to wait for two days and on Tuesday, again rang up the helpline number. However, no one responded.
On Tuesday evening, the hospital authorities called the family and informed that Basant had died on July 24. Shocked family members could not believe their ears and again called back the helpline. On being asked why the family was told that Basant was in ICU when he had died five days back, the receiver had no reply.
Angry family members then went to Badabazaar police to lodge a complaint but the cops refused to entertain them on the plea that the Covid hospital did not fall under their jurisdiction. They directed the family to approach Gopalpur police in this regard. Basant’s son Birabhadra Sahu (16) alleged that initially, Gopalpur police was reluctant to receive our complaint. But as the incident went viral on social media, the police received the FIR.
In the meantime, authorities of Tata Covid hospital hurriedly issued a statement at around 2 am blaming Basant’s family. As per the statement, the victim was received in a critical condition on July 19 and provided treatment. Basant died on July 24 following which the authorities made repeated attempts to contact his family but to no avail. The body was kept at the hospital’s mortuary as per protocol.
The hospital claimed that Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) authorities and Aska BDO were asked to trace Basant’s family to receive the body. After getting the contact details, information about the patient’s death was given to the family, stated the release signed by CEO of Hi-Tech and Tata Covid hospital Sangram Patra and authorised medical officer Dr Uma Shankar Mishra.
However, there were many loopholes in these claims. As per norm, details of every patient should be recorded before admission to the Covid hospital. So, Basant’s contact details should have been with the authorities. Moreover, though the victim hailed from Berhampur, the hospital asked Aska BDO to trace his family.
Besides, the hospital usually cremates bodies of patients in absence of their families. But in this case, Basant’s body was kept in the mortuary for five days. Sources said though the COVID hospital has been handed over to the Hi-Tech group, the number of doctors is still inadequate to manage the affairs.
The doctors of MKCG Medical College and Hospital (MCH) visit the hospital at their will and pleasure.Surprisingly, several patients undergoing treatment in the hospital alleged that they are yet to see Dr Mishra who is the authorised medical officer.
Reliable sources informed that a dispute has cropped up between Hi-Tech and MKCGMCH authorities over deputation of doctors. The MCH has deputed 36 doctors apart from other health staff to the Covid hospital.
Besides, the Hi-Tech Group is yet to take over charge of the hospital ICU where over 50 patients are in critical condition. The district administration is in dark over the sorry state of affairs in the Covid hospital.
On Wednesday, Basant’s family members reached the Covid hospital and had a last glimpse of his body which was later cremated.
BERHAMPUR: The Berhampur Circle jail has become the first prison in the State to have a Covid care centre. The administration decided to convert a portion of the jail into a COVID facility after 54 persons including prisoners and jail staff tested positive for COVID-19.
The infected persons are being provided institutional treatment at the centre. Health screening of prisoners has been started in other jails of Ganjam district. The State has so far reported 95 positive cases in jails of which 54 are from Berhampur Circle jail. In Ganjam, 5,231 prisoners including 47 convicts have been released from various jails to prevent overcrowding in prisons.
In view of the rising number of positive cases, the administration has readied two new Covid centres in the city. The two dedicated covid healthcare centres will be made operational from August 1. While the facility at Paediatric ward of MKCGMCH has 150 beds including 20 ICU beds, the one at Gate Bazaar has 160 beds including 16 ICU beds.
In the last 24 hours, 245 new positive cases were detected in Ganjam, taking the tally to 9,746 in the district. Of the total COVID-19 cases, 6,699 have recovered. The new cases include 36 frontline workers and 206 local contacts. Meanwhile, testing at Microbiology department of MKCGMCH has been suspended till Thursday after two PG doctors tested positive on the day.