The COVID-19 pandemic, which has created havoc in our lives, has severely impacted the healthcare industry. Doctors and nurses are not only working 24×7 to treat patients but are also putting their lives at risk while doing so. Also, with the increasing number in positive cases, there has been a drastic shortage in protective gear as well. However, while it’s understandable that PPE kits are the need of the hour, as a condition for treatment isn’t right ethically or morally.
Speaking of which, recently, Richa Chadha took to social media to share the plight of her house help. The woman apparently needed sonography for her kid. However, her child was asked to buy a PPE kit costing Rs.900 for the sonographer. In fact, they were also turned away from many hospitals before Richa intervened and helped them.
Lady who works at mine needs a sonography for her kid. Kid was asked to buy a PPE kit costing ₹900 for the person who will do the sonography. Also been turned away from several hospitals. She has me, several have no one. Should the poor just die when ill? #HealthInfraCollapse
— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) July 21, 2020
Many people on social media pointed out how the woman was lucky to have the actor but that there are many others who need and deserve basic health care as well.
We need #HealthCareForAll. Health should not be a commodity that these capitalists can sell and only the privileged have access to! It is a human right and must be available free of cost to everyone who needs it.
— Talha Shaikh (@talha_shaikh_) July 21, 2020
Why we have to pay for the PPE kits ? This is looting by the hospitals. They are being provided with the kits by government and other institutions.
— Poojayadav (@pjyadav19) July 21, 2020
Why should the patient's family buy the PPE kit for the sonography technician (?)?
Itne bure din aa gaye hai?? 😥😡— Reem Khan (@ReemKhan65) July 21, 2020
In yet another incidence that highlights how some people are getting taken advantage of, a hospital staff allegedly demanded Rs.30 from a six-year-old boy to attend to his ailing grandfather. According to News18, a six-year-old boy and his mother had to push a stretcher by themselves to take his ailing grandfather from one ward to another after the hospital staff demanded money. The man had been injured two days ago and was admitted to the Deoria district hospital.
“Hospital staff was asking for Rs 30 every time for taking the stretcher to the ward for the dressing of my father and when I refused to give him the money, he refused to push the stretcher, so I had to drag it with the help of my son Shivam,” the man’s daughter Bindu Yadav was quoted saying by TOI.
देवरिया, जहां से उ.प्र. राज्य सरकार में दो मंत्री आते है, वहां के जिला अस्पताल की ये हालत है कि पर्याप्त कर्मचारी नहीं है लोगों को स्ट्रेचर पर ले जाने के लिए। वार्ड भी अलग अलग नहीं बने हैं,जैसे कि ये महामारी इस अस्पताल के लिए मात्र एक साधारण फ्लू हो। ऐसे लड़ेंगे हम कोरोना से? pic.twitter.com/9CtymqFbWN
— Keshav Chand Yadav (@keshavyadaviyc) July 20, 2020
District Magistrate Amit Kishore, who visited the hospital has now set up a joint probe panel in the matter. He was quoted saying, “The viral video is two-days-old and prima facie, the ward boy has been found to be the culprit. He has been removed by the chief medical officer and a probe in on in the matter. We will ensure that such incidents do not take place again.” The ward boy has been removed from the hospital.
In these difficult times, when many people are trying to help the needy, it’s heartbreaking to see a few unethical people take advantage of the situation. What do you think? Tell us in the comments below.