In UP, 69 coronavirus patients wait on footpath outside hospital
In a truly bizarre turn of events, 69 coronavirus patients were made to wait on a footpath outside a government college in Uttar Pradesh's Saifai area on Thursday, reports NDTV. The patients were sent from Agra, some 116 kilometer away. After they spent almost an hour outside the gates of the medical facility, they were let in by the administration. Here's what went down.
Patients were treated poorly in one of the largest hospitals
The irresponsible behavior was displayed by the administration of Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Saifai and local police. The hospital in Safai, Etawah district, is one of the largest in the areas and has a dedicated ward for coronavirus cases. Across UP, 1621 have contracted the fatal infection while 25 died. Several hotspots have been declared to control the contagious disease.
Masked patients waited outside gated hospital
One video showed patients, most of them wearing masks, sitting on the footpath on that day. Another clip showed them picking up water bottles from a sack while two cops, dressed in protective gear, passed instructions. Reportedly, the duo accompanied the group.
You can watch the worrying video here
Later, cop arrived, said team will join patients shortly
As news of the patients' arrival spread, senior cop Chandra Pal Singh, who is also the in-charge of the area, reached the spot to talk to them. Lamenting the series of events, he noted nothing can't be done about it. He added, "Stay here. I am sure a medical team will be here soon and will make a list and take you in."
Singh claimed the patients arrived "suddenly"
"If you run around, then everyone will get it (coronavirus). Do not try and roam around here. There was no information, else lists would have been made. There was no information, you have arrived all of a sudden," he went on.
Vice-chancellor said medical staff shouldn't be berated
And Dr. Raj Kumar, the vice-chancellor of the university that administers the hospital, accepted there was some miscommunication but suggested against blaming the medical staff. Without pinpointing anyone, Kumar said the patients were supposed to arrive on Wednesday. He also revealed that when dozens of patients are getting transferred, an official or a doctor accompanies them with a list of their conditions.
Patients were admitted within an hour: Singh
Further, Singh said the hospital's team admitted the patients despite them not having requisite documents. "There were communication gaps. Our team was alert. It took 30 minutes to an hour. I am not sure they roamed around anywhere, but if you are saying it, they may have roamed around. I have not managed to verify this," he told reporters.
