One second they have been strangers, none of whom knew of the existence of the others. The subsequent second they have been united in probably the most intimate means, linked by tubes to the identical properly of life from which they drew.
Parvati Devi, Om Dutt Sharma, and Deepak lay outdoors GTB Hospital on Friday afternoon, sharing a single cylinder of oxygen, because the Capital fought a scarcity that has elevated manifold the danger to critical sufferers of Covid-19 and pushed hospitals to ship every day, repeated pleas to the federal government for assist.
Shi discovered stretchers, 65-year-old Om Dutt lay on a sheet unfold on the bottom.
There have been no stretchers out there, Om Dutt’s household stated — and they didn’t wish to lose that vacant spot on the bottom to a different affected person.
65-year-old Om Dutt Sharma with grandson Mohan at GTB Hospital on Friday. (Express Photo: Jignasa Sinha)
On Thursday evening, Om Dutt’s 40-year-old son, Chaman Lal Sharma, had died outdoors the identical hospital, ready for a mattress close to the emergency block. He had discovered a stretcher, although.
On Friday, members of the three households stood round their sufferers, periodically adjusting the connecting pipes and oxygen masks, as they waited to be admitted to the hospital’s Covid block.
Doctors and hospital attendants did what they may – checking on them each hour with an oximeter.
Parvati’s son Ram Kumar (45), stated his mom has had a cough and fever for the final two days. He had began out along with his mom and elder brother from their dwelling in Mandawali in East Delhi at 3 am on Friday to search for a mattress in a hospital, Ram stated.
Ram Kumar along with his mom Parvati. (Express Photo: Jignasa Sinha)
“We went to Shanti Mukand and Max however couldn’t discover a mattress. Around 5 am, we reached Dr Hedgewar Hospital, the place our mom was examined for Covid. Her report got here constructive, however they stated they didn’t have an oxygen mattress to present her. She was complaining of extreme chest ache.
“We came to GTB at 11 am. They gave us this cylinder and a stretcher outside. The other two families are also suffering; how can we complain?”
Om Dutt’s son Chaman Lal had complained of breathlessness on Thursday morning. Chaman Lal had a fever, and his son Mohan had introduced him to GTB from the household’s dwelling in Ghaziabad’s Gagan Vihar.
With tears in his eyes, 18-year-old Mohan recalled the evening his father had died: “There were no beds here (at GTB) and the guards told us to leave. We went to Dr Hedgewar Hospital, but they refused to take him in. My father was sinking, there was blood coming from his mouth. Around 11 pm, we came back to GTB. He was lying on a stretcher and we arranged an oxygen cylinder for him. But he died after half an hour.”
Less than 24 hours later, Mohan was again at GTB, begging medical doctors for a mattress for his grandfather, whose situation had deteriorated sharply after Chaman’s loss of life.
“We borrowed a friend’s vehicle and went to Commonwealth Games Village first, but they did not take us in because we had not come in an ambulance,” Mohan stated. The household then went to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, Shanti Mukand, and Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital, the place there have been beds, however no oxygen. The household was requested to organise their very own cylinder.
The household lastly returned to GTB. “We did not want to come back here, but we had no choice,” Mohan stated.
The third individual respiration from the cylinder, Deepak, is a shopkeeper who got here to the hospital along with his spouse Rekha round midday on Friday, leaving their two kids, aged 10 and seven, at dwelling.
“He had a fever on Thursday but took a paracetamol and was fine,” Rekha stated. “This morning, he said he was short of breath. We rushed to Swami Dayanand Hospital but they said he could not be treated there. We took an auto and went to Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital and Commonwealth Games Village, but were told at both places that no oxygen beds were available.”
A good friend of the couple had finally introduced them to GTB. “We now have an oxygen cylinder. It’s hot and Deepak is having chest pain. We just want to get a bed; is it that difficult?” Rekha requested.
