BIRGUNJ, AUGUST 8

Bishnu Lama, 22, of Chhapakaiya, Birgunj-2, died for want of treatment in Birgunj this morning. Various hospitals, including Birgunj-based Narayani Hospital had refused to admit Lama, who had experienced breathing complications.

She was taken to Corona Special Hospital, Gandak, where she died at 2:00am today, said Lama’s brother-inlaw Rupesh Singh.

Dr Uday Narayan Singh of the corona hospital said Lama’s condition had deteriorated by the time she was admitted to the hospital. “No sooner had the on-duty doctors and nurses attended to Lama, she died,” said Dr Singh. Lama’s swab sample was collected and sent for PCR test at Narayani Hospital’s laboratory.

According to Lama’s relative Singh, Lama had mild fever and common cold. “Lama experienced breathing difficulty at 10:00pm and relatives were called immediately,” Singh added.

Lama was refused treatment at Bayodha Hospital saying that all services except emergency were shut due to detection of COVID in doctors and patients at the hospital.

Then Lama was rushed to Bhawani Hospital. The hospital returned the patient from outside the gate. Then, Lama was taken to Tarai Hospital.

The hospital asked the patient’s symptoms and denied her treatment.

Relative Singh complained that National Hospital had also refused to take in Lama despite their repeated pleas.

From there, the patient was taken to Birgunj Health Care Hospital. After the hospital refused to admit the patient she was taken to the Corona Special Hospital, Gandak.

“Earlier, Lama used to bleed from her ears and nose. Last night, she experienced respiratory complications and she could not be saved as no hospital agreed to treat her,” added Dr Singh.

Lama had been living with her four-year-old daughter.

She used to work at an industry and feed her daughter.

“There is no one to take care of the daughter. Who will take care of her?” Singh questioned.

Of late, private and public hospitals send patients, on the suspicion of COVID, to the COVID Special Hospital directly.

After National Medical College refused to admit him, an elderly man from Chhapakaiya of Birgunj-3, died while undergoing treatment at Corona Special Hospital Gandak yesterday. The man tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday evening.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 9, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.