KAKINADA: Getting admission in hospital has become hellish for Covid-19 patients. And for many, even after admission, travails have not ended as they are not being cared for or treated properly.
On Friday night, at 8 pm, a Covid-19 patient, suffering from breathing problems, arrived at Government General Hospital here. His relatives had made enquiries over phone whether he would be admitted. Only after getting an assurance did they bring them all the way from Amalapuram. But he was kept waiting for five hours, even as he was writhing in pain, until 1 am. After repeated pleas of the relatives, he was allotted a bed in the hospital. The reason cited for the inordinate delay was that the computer printer conked and also a special permission was required from the superintendent or other higher officials.
Though the relatives frantically tried to get in touch with the superintendent or resident medical officer (RMO), the patient had to spend five long hours in agonising wait. “We experienced hell. We don't know whether he would be admitted or not and he was suffering from breathing problems. Nobody bothered and cared for us. The government keeps saying that all arrangements are being made for giving treatment to Covid-19 patients. But, the ground situation is different,’’ rued a relative of the patient. She said she learnt that such hardships were faced not just by them but also by many in a similar situation.
In Amalapuram, a patient belonging to Ambajipeta went to KIMS Hospital and was admitted. But, till evening, nobody bothered to attend to him, though he begged doctors and medical staff for treatment. Completely fed up and alarmed over the situation, he returned home and the hospital authorities simply did not bother. “I am afraid of the situation. The other patients said that they came to the hospital two days back and they were simply given a kit and the staff did not visit them again. They did not even test their pulse rates. Surprisingly, though I left the hospital without intimating the hospital officials, no one enquired about me or my condition so far,’’ said the patient.
Similar distressing experiences are related by patients visiting various hospitals. But officials deny such charges and claim about the arrangements being made. The public harried by persistent apathy of hospitals want the authorities to act fast and take corrective measures.
