Cases have been rising drastically in Bengaluru over the past few days. On Sunday evening, a 52-year-old man passed away in the city after being turned away from 18 hospitals and calling up 32 that also refused admission to the patient. The man had succumbed to breathlessness and fever.
The patient was a garment shop owner in Vannarpet in Austin town and was driven around the city from hospital to hospital, each one refusing to admit him. The hospitals rejected the patient on the account of having no vacant beds.
Private hospitals denying to treat patients
The number of positive COVID-19 cases has been rapidly multiplying in Bengaluru. In the state, we've seen the addition of 1,105 cases in the past 24 hours taking the state tally past 14,000-mark. Despite the government enlisting private hospitals to fight the battle against the deadly virus, there have been hurdles.
The government recently issued an order to private hospitals from denying to treat patients. Even though the government enlisted nearly 500 private hospitals, a shortage of beds seems to be commonly reported. In a new tragic case, a shop owner was turned away from 18 hospitals being driven around the city on account of a lack of vacant beds.
The 52-year-old resident of Nagarathpet, SP Road was taken in an ambulance by his nephew after he complained of breathlessness and was suffering from a high fever. While they visited 18 hospitals, the nephew said they had called 32 hospitals as well.
The man had been suffering from breathlessness and fever since Saturday morning, and the nephew told TOI that the man was taken to a reputed hospital in Bengaluru only to be turned away. Till 10 PM they were diving around the city in search of a hospital.
On Sunday morning, the man was taken to a lab in Rajajinagar for a COVID test. That evening they went to the Bowring and Lady Curzon hospital and with showing the acknowledgment for sample collection they agreed to admit him, the nephew said but before he was admitted, the man passed away.
The results of his test are still awaited. The nephew urged the government when he spoke to TOI that no other patient should go through what they did. The Karnataka government has announced the development of an app to help patients find hospital beds but beds will only be allotted to those who've tested positive for the virus confirmed by ICMR. It's yet to be seen if this is an isolated case and whether or not action will be taken on this account. Further details on the matter will be published as and when received.
