Covid crisis: Attendants protest ‘mismanagement’

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 3

Alleging lack of care, the attendants of Covid positive patients at Government Rajindra Hospital here held a protest this afternoon forcing the hospital authorities to call the police.

The inconsolable attendants alleged “complete mismanagement” at the hospital.

They said hospital authorities were not updating them about their patients.

The attendants also claimed that the hospital staff were not attending to their patients even as they were in distress.

“My father is screaming for help over the phone. He wants to go to the washroom but there is no one to help him. Why they are not allowing me to help him,” said Ajay, whose father is being treated for Covid infection at the hospital.

Another relative of the patient suggested, “Hospital authorities should install CCTV cameras so as to make us see what is going on inside the isolation ward.”

The attendants also alleged that food and other items handed over to hospital employees never reach their patients.

They further said Class IV employees, who had been assigned the duty of passing on the food and other items to patients, were demanding money from them.

“A Class IV employee took Rs 300 for providing water and homemade food to my patient. He also demanded Rs 1,000 for a video of the patient,” said another attendant.

Sources said there was “chaos at the hospital due to high influx of patients”. The doctors are “overburdened” and the system could collapse anytime.

Dr HS Rekhi, Medical Superintendent, said, “Majority of the patients are very sick and in critical situations. However, our staff is doing what they can.”

When asked about the employees taking money to hand over food and other items to patients, Dr Rekhi said, “It is inhumane if someone is indulging in this kind of act. The matter has already come to my notice. We will be taking strict action against the guilty.”

35 deaths in 24 hours

The daily death toll at COVID isolation facility of Government Rajindra Hospital continues to be high.

Around 35 patients died at the isolation wing of the hospital in the past 24 hours.

Of the 35, 14 were from Patiala while 12 belonged to other districts of the state. Eight Covid victims were from other states, including New Delhi.

Meanwhile, 86 patients were admitted to the hospital in the past 24 hours and 18 discharged.