A 63-year-old woman suffering from breathing complications died in an ambulance Monday, as she was refused admission or treatment at six hospitals in Sylhet, reports UNB.
The resident of Gogoltula in Sylhet had been an asthma patient for past 35 years. She fell sick around midnight on Sunday and was taken to Al-Haramain Hospital in Sobhanighat area, the news agency quoted her relatives to say.
The emergency unit of the hospital suggested taking her to some other hospital as they do not have an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
She was taken to another private hospital where she was again refused any treatment and instead suggested taking her to North-East Medical Hospital.
There, the hospital authorities said that they do not have any oxygen supply for their patients.
She was next taken to the Mother and Child Hospital in Sobhanighat area – the 4th hospital of the night, for anyone keeping score – where the physicians said they did not have any ICU facility.
Her family however did manage to buy a cylinder of oxygen from MCH, following a big row and much agitation – amid a life-or-death situation.
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The 5th hospital they tried was the Park View Medical College Hospital, where the on-duty physician recommended taking her to the Jalalabad Ragib-Rabeya Medical College & Hospital.
The family did as they were advised, but then at the Ragib-Rabeya Hospital, the on-duty physician did an x-ray, observed her condition and suggested taking her to the Osmani Medical College and Hospital.
The woman who was suffering from extreme pain in her chest by now, was again shifted, but by the time they reached Osmani Medical College at 2:30am, she had passed away.
The physicians of Osmani Medical College declared her dead.
The elderly woman failed to get minimum treatment even though the government has directed the hospitals to provide proper treatment to patients during the coronavirus outbreak, said the relatives who were unwilling to disclose their identity.
Abdur Rahman, president of Traders’ Oiykko Kolyan Parishad, said hospitals continue to refuse to provide ailing patients treatment suspecting they are coronavirus patients.
“Simply out of humanity, all hospitals should treat any patient who reaches their door,” he said.
