HYDERABAD: In a shocking and heart-wrenching incident from Chegunta of Medak district in Telangana, a man suffering from a severe health condition and lying along the roadside begging to be taken to a hospital, died after being denied medical attention by an ambulance as the paramedics suspected that the man was suffering from COVID-19 and they did not have a PPE kit with them.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, also exposes poor preparedness of paramedical and health staff in Telangana in dealing with medical emergencies, that too at a time when a pandemic has taken over the country.
The ghastly moments right before the man's death, when he begged the government staff around him including police personnel, to be taken to a hospital, was caught on camera. The woman shooting the video could be heard asking the man a volley of questions, even though the man kept begging to be taken to a hospital.
The man in his fifties identifies himself in the video as R Srinivas Babu, can be seen lying underneath a tree beside the road and heard saying, "I request you, please take me to the hospital soon" in Telugu.
Replying to the questions thrown at him, Srinivas Babu responds that he is a resident of Secunderabad and left home for some work. He was travelling in a bus but when he felt sick, he got down expecting that someone would help him reach a hospital.
Express spoke with Srinivas Babu's son who was in Bengaluru when he was informed about the death of his father on Wednesday late evening after which he rushed to Hyderabad. He said that his father many years ago had mild asthma problem but for many years did not face any related issues.
The son said, "He was breathless and was being asked questions. He was panting for breath and should have been admitted to a hospital. The ambulance came and went back because the staff did not have a PPE kit. How can they not carry the kit with them. By the time another ambulance came and took him to a hospital located close by, it was too late." He was informed that his father lay along the roadside asking for help for around half-hour and that he died of cardiac arrest.
He added, "He just passed away in front of a hospital, very close to where he was lying on the ground. Nobody can compensate for that. People are not having humanity"
Telangana government has been under fire regarding the availability of PPE kits in hospitals but the state government has been claiming that it is in possession of lakhs of PPE kits.
Srinivas Babu could be seen in the video giving out the phone number of his wife, who received a call about his health. The son further said, "My mom started from East Marredpally. She could not get a ca. She went to a cousin brother who stays about an hour away but as they were getting there, father passed away."
He added, "Just half an hour, if somebody could have taken care of him, today he would have been with us. People should have responded to his request rather than questioning him."
Srinivas Babu's son said, "Be aware as to what the symptoms are, get proper awareness. Do not suspect the person directly, thinking oh! he coughed, he is a Covid-19 patient."
He further said, "Is this how morality exists in this planet, is this how it works? Do you directly go ahead and convict a person, somebody affected by Covid-19? Is this how the government hospitals work?"