Bhubaneswar: Though we are following social distancing as a precautionary measure to protect ourselves from Coronavirus, it seems some of us have distanced ourselves from humanity completely.
In one such heart-wrenching incident, Rabindra Nayak of Basudev Nagar in Rasulgarh area of Bhubaneswar died allegedly after being denied treatment, while his wife and daughter had to spend a night on road with the dead body after their landlord shunted them out.
On April 27 at around 11:50 PM, the health condition of Rabindra deteriorated as he complained of chest pain and started to sweat profusely. Nayak’s daughter, Samnwita, alleged that despite calling emergency 108 & 104 ambulance services, no one came for help.
However, somehow she managed to book a cab that reached their residence and took them to Sunshine hospital, where the authorities allegedly turned them away. Then they went to Sparsh Hospital where a nurse gave a painkiller to Rabindra, but the authorities allegedly refused to admit him.
Subsequently, Rabindra was admitted to another hospital where he breathed his last.
“When I called 108 and 104, nobody responded following which I called a taxi and took my father to Sunshine but they refused to admit him. Similarly, at Sparsh too, they denied treatment. My father died because of their negligence,” said Samnwita.
But the worst was yet to come and when Samnwita and her mother returned back to their rented house, the landlord refused to let them enter. Without finding any other way, they spent the night in the open with Rabindra’s body.
“Our landlord didn’t lend his car when my husband was writhing in pain. Later, we were also not allowed to enter the house and waited outside with the body and later cremated him at Satya Nagar crematorium. My son, who stays in Paralakhemundi reached after the cremation,” alleged Sanghamitra Nayak, wife of Rabindra.
Brushing aside the allegations of negligence, Sparsh hospital authorities said that saline and painkillers were administered to Rabindra but after ECG tests showed unusual symptoms, ambulance was arranged and he was taken to a cardiac centre. No response could be obtained either from Sunshine hospital authorities or Rabindra's landlord.