COIMBATORE: Uncared for, a 67-year-old man died gasping for breath at a private hospital here, even as his family ran from pillar to post to get help. Sources said the deceased, identified as L Chinnaswamy, a retired Revenue Department staff from Bommanampalayam, succumbed to breathing issues outside the hospital near Kattu Vinayagar Kovil at Vadavalli on Tuesday morning.
Chinnaswamy, a heart patient, was denied treatment by the hospital citing Covid fear, alleged Prem, his son. “They denied us entry even when we pleaded for help. The nurses said there was no doctor at the hospital,” Prem said, adding Chinnaswamy had a long coughing bout in the morning.
A hospital official said he was unaware of the death of the man in front of the hospital. He added they had been providing only outpatient services since March, by not accepting new admissions or treating emergency cases due to Covid crisis. Deputy Director of Health Services G Ramesh Kumar, coming to know of the incident, said that he would issue a notice to the hospital concerned.