Hyderabad: 33-year-old journalist's last message before he died of coronavirus
33-year-old journalist based in Hyderabad had been infected with coronavirus and as he tried hard to breathe while waiting at Gandhi Hospital, his family ran from one place to another in order to get help. Few hours later, the man drew his last breath due to coronavirus and police notified the family later.
The incident has shocked many in the Telangana government’s impassivity as the family alleged that the journalist himeself had called his friends and other contacts to seek help. However, even after the calls, he could only get a seat in the ICU few hours later.
In his last message, Manoj also stated that he was not provided oxygen even after he complained of breathing difficulty.
The demise and a clip put out by his family giving an account of the whole episode have prompted outrage against the authorities of the hospital.
Sai stated that after going to the fever hospital, they were both escorted to the isolation ward of Gandhi Hospital because both the brother had tested positive for Covid-19. According to reports Sai was released on Monday.
He claimed that initially both the brothers had to wait for hours to complete the paperwork at the hospital and later got admitted in a ward where there was no doctor. When Manoj complained about breathing difficulty, his brother went outside the ward and looked for a doctor and the support staff told him to wait till the next morning.
In the morning when Manoj called many of his journalist friends and they approached heaalth officials, including the state health minister, he was shifted to ICU. But there also he had to wait on a wheelchair.
Furthermore, Sai alleged that it was not hospital authorities but the local police that informed him about the death of his brother.
In the mean time, many videos of the pathetic condition of Gandhi Hospital have surfaced. The hospital is Telangana’s largest dedicated coronavirus facility.
The state health officials said, “Some media organisations are spreading false information and creating panic and confusion among people”. The officials alleged conspiracy behind the incident.
“At the Gandhi Hospital, there is capacity to treat more than 2,000 patients and only 247 coronavirus patients are admitted currently,” said the hospital CMO after Chief Minister KCR held a high-level meeting with heath officials.
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