CUTTACK: Battling with cancer is a struggle for its victims and the Covid-19 pandemic has tilted the scale further making it far tougher to deal with it. Perhaps nobody understands it better than 47-year-old cancer patient Kumudini Dehuri of Lingarajodi village in Angul district. She was referred to Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer (AHPGIC) by Angul DHH after she developed severe stomach pain and she reached the hospital on Monday.
However, the hospital authorities denied admitting her as they were waiting for her Covid test report.
“Our swab samples were collected and sent for RT-PCR test on Tuesday. While my test report came negative on Thursday, Kumudini’s report is yet to come even after 72 hours forcing us to lie along with other patients outside the hospital, said her attendant Sukanti Sahu.
Like Kumudini, several cancer patients are being deprived of treatment at AHPGIC due to delay in getting Covid test reports. The patients can be seen lying down under the open sky outside the hospital.
“Cancer patients should not be neglected like this. The authorities of the premier cancer hospital of the State should ensure their admission immediately after conducting antigen test.
They should set up a separate facility to admit and treat the cancer patients suspected to have been infected with the virus,” said a health expert. Attempts to elicit response from AHPGIC Director Lalatendu Sarangi on the issue proved futile.