Where the entire city is under the terror of swine flu, the medical department seems to be completely careless. There have been several complaints against the apathetic behavior of the department and one example has come into light recently where a man from Udaipur, popularly known as Raju Bhai became deprived of proper last rites, let alone proper medical attention. The irony is that he is the same man who worked for his entire life to provide supplies for the last rites for the citizens of Udaipur.
According to his son, Raju Bhai was rushed to the nearest private hospital when he faced difficulty in breathing. The doctor there said that he might be suffering from Pneumonia or it can be the lethal swine flu too. So first we will implement the treatment of Pneumonia for two days and then of Swine Flu but it will need 3 days for the reports of swine flu to come. Thinking that 5 days will be a long time, his son took him to another private hospital which then shared that the first examination will be conducted in the government hospital (MB hospital).
On reaching upon the hospital, he was directly admitted in the swine flu ward. No one bothered to inspect the actual disease. His father, on the other hand, was getting restless. No attention was being given to the patients, he said. The tables of the doctor and the nurses were situated at the opposite corners but they weren’t communicating about the condition of the patients. He tried to stand up after some time but his neck drooped down to one side.
Later he was declared dead. Upon calling for the ambulance, none of them turned down just because my father was in the swine flu ward. When asked about the treatment history, he was asked to submit the application first. His body was wrapped up in a plastic bag and kept up in an ambulance for an entire night. In the morning, the body was allowed to be taken to his house after a lot of requests. The relatives, however, were asked to move away from the body.
The last rite was carried away in the presence of police and the medical staff and Raju Bhai’s wife wasn’t even allowed to see his husband’s face properly for the last time.
What happened next was the biggest blunder of all. The swine flu report came out to be negative and he was suffering for a cardiac arrest in reality.
Such incidents in our city reflect the shocking and disappointing face where a little carelessness from the authority’s side can cost someone’s life. Raju Bhai will always be remembered for his contribution, may his soul rest in peace.
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