Over the last two days, I have seen first-hand the absolute collapse of health infrastructure in Mumbai. My uncle died of COVID-19 and here's what I know--be very scared.
A thread.
A thread.
Uncle was persistently coughing for 3 days, had breathlessness. For 2 days, he couldn't get a test. Third day, he got a test. Report only in 2 days.
But, 24 hours after the test, he was dead.
But, 24 hours after the test, he was dead.
When we tried getting a bed just hours before his death, most private hospitals refused. He died on the way to the BMC-run Rajawadi hospital. It only got worse.
His test result came 24 hours after his death. As soon as the family saw that he was +ve, they obviously panicked. Family includes a diabetic wife, a 86-year-old mother and 3 others.
His wife and daughter started showing symptoms.
His wife and daughter started showing symptoms.
They called the @mybmc 1916 helpline, I called the @mybmcWardN ward officer (texts too). No response. At the BMC hospital, they were told to go to pvt hospitals for a test.
They don't own a car. How will they go?
They don't own a car. How will they go?
Private labs and hospitals are refusing to test them because they ask for a doctor's prescription. And no doctor wants to give the prescription. What are they to do?
2 days and 6 hours into my uncle's death, we have 5 high-risk patients in the family. Two of them are symptomatic, one has co-morbidity.
But, the BMC has NOT tested them, there is NO contact tracing not even an advisory on what they must do till the BMC reaches them.
But, the BMC has NOT tested them, there is NO contact tracing not even an advisory on what they must do till the BMC reaches them.
As a journalist, I could have the access to senior politicians, bureaucrats. But through it all, it kept hitting me--how bad are things that one needs to pull the strings to just get a test?
And what happens to those of us who can't use hashtags?
And what happens to those of us who can't use hashtags?
