Thrissur: Much like the disease, people are wary of tedious protocols related to COVID-19. The demand to adhere to established guidelines even for admitting seriously ill may prove to be fatal, at times, as has already happened to several COVID-19 patients across India. A similar case was reported from Thrissur district in Kerala the other day.
A 78-year-old woman, who had to stay in the ambulance for four hours before securing admission to the COVID ICU, died hours after she was admitted to the District General Hospital in Thrissur.
Fathima, a resident of Vadanappally, died early on Tuesday morning.
Fathima was diagnosed with COVID after she was taken to a private hospital at Engandiyur as she suffered from shortness of breath. She was immediately taken to a private medical college hospital in Thrissur but the ICU was not available.
She was then taken in an ambulance to the general hospital. But it was only then that the relatives came to know that COVID patients were to be brought through the aegis of the District Programme Management Unit of the health department.
The kin then kept contacting the panchayat member and MP's COVID helpline number. She was admitted to the hospital by 12.05am. But Fathima died by 6am.
Dr Sreedevi, the Superintendent of the District General Hospital, reasoned that as per orders patients have to be brought via the District Programme Management Unit.
The patient’s health condition had already deteriorated when she was admitted to the hospital, she clarified.
However, Fathima' relatives pointed out that the patient could have been hospitalised before her health condition worsened.
