COVID-19 patient abandoned at hospital staircase in Srinagar during transfer; management responds

The pictures of a suspected COVID-19 patient lying on the stairs of Chest Disease Hospital in Srinagar is a demonstration of how difficult the situation is for coronavirus patients to get the treatment much less be taken in responsibly. This is the condition at one of the main hospitals in J&K designated to treat coronavirus positive patients.

In the pictures, a suspected COVID-19 patient along with the attendant is seen lying on the stairs of the Chest Disease Hospital in Srinagar.

Ambulance driver abandons patients on hospital stairs

Photojournalist Waseem Andrabi, who shared the pictures on Twitter said that the patient was shifted from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital to Chest Disease Hospital. But the paramedics and the driver of the ambulance left the patient and the attendant on the stairs of the hospital and sped away even before the CD hospital staff could take them in.

People appalled at the staff's callousness

Even though the health workers of the CD hospital soon rushed out and took the patients and the attendant inside the hospital, people were appalled by the insensitivity and callousness of the SMHS staff in handling the suspected COVID-19 patient.

Many could not believe it as when the entire administration of both the hospitals is focussed on handling the coronavirus cases. The negligence portrayed in such sensitive matters was not taken lightly as many were enraged over the incident that took place in Srinagar. 

CD Hospital Head explains

Taking note of the incident, Dr Naveed Shah, Professor and Head at the CD hospital, informed that nine patients from the SMHS hospital were shifted to the CD hospital on Monda. They all were shifted at the same time with no interval in their transfer time.

Dr Shah said that since the administration and doctors at CD hospital were already hard-pressed with existing high numbers of patients, the new admission could not be immediately shifted to emergency and other wards for fear of spreading the infection.

But as the staff came to know about the patient and the attendant left on the stairs, they rushed to take them in.

In his tweet, Dr Shah tried to assure that authorities have been informed to shift patients at the proper interval in the future. 

Shortage of PPE

Health workers at various hospitals across J&K have said that there is a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPEs) when handling COVID-19 patients and that they are facing great risk when treating possible coronavirus cases.

On Monday itself, five doctors at the CD hospital were tested positive for coronavirus, taking the number of healthcare workers affected by the COVID 19 in the valley to 16. Of the five, four were treating a 29-year old woman from Habbakadal who was suffering from Ludwig's angina.

She was earlier admitted to the SMHS hospital and was recently shifted to the CD hospital before she was tested positive for COVID 19.

So far, the Union Territory of J&K has recorded 1,188 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 13 deaths.