Coronavirus has halted life for everyone. But, for some, the virus has destroyed life. One such incident came in from Jalgaon, Maharashtra. Maharashtra is the epicenter of India with cases edging towards 1,00,000 mark.
In just nine days, the COVID-19 pandemic has destroyed the Jalgaon-based Nehete family, which exposed the public health care system.
First, Harshal Nehete lost his mother Tila Nehete, 60, to the virus. The patience needed to wait for six hours for an ICU bed at the Jalgaon civil hospital.
And on Wednesday, Harshal grandmother’s (Malati Nehete) body was found. The body was partially decomposed on the floor of a toilet cubicle in the same hospital.
Malati Nehete, 82, was missing from June 2nd. The hospital staff on asking about her kept telling that she had simply walked away. For the eight days straight, no one went to use or clean the toilet.
When the patients in the ward complained about the stench is unbearable the door was broken on Wednesday. District Collector Avinash Dhakne said:
“Such episodes shake the faith of the public in the system. I have arranged for COVID-19 treatment in two private hospitals and all critical patients will be shifted there.”
Late on Wednesday night, five officials of the hospital, including Dean Dr. B S Khaire, were suspended.
Record shows, before Malati, three other patients died while trying to reach the toilet in the isolation ward. Senior officials said, “nurses and staffers are not willing to touch patients”.
“Main sochta hoon to kaamp jaata hoon, woh kaise chal ke gayi hogi akele toilet tak? Wo to theek se chal bhi nahi paati thi (I shiver to think how she managed to get to the toilet; she could not even walk properly),” Harshal, 32, said.
