Covid-19 patients made to wait outside KIMS in Hubballi for 4 hours

A video of two Covid-19 positive patients waiting outside the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubballi, the district Covid-19 centre, for more than four hours to get admission has gone viral on social media here on Monday.

According to Meshak, a social worker who recorded the video, the two patients were brought to KIMS at around 6:30 pm. However, till 10:00 pm, the patients were not admitted to the hospital even after repeated requests.

Two patients were admitted to Vivekananda Hospital, one of the empanelled hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients, two days ago with symptoms and they turned positive on Monday. The two were shifted to KIMS in an ambulance along with oxygen supply. “The medical staff at KIMS refused to get these two patients admitted stating that there are no beds available,” said Meshak and added that the delay resulted in patients suffering as the oxygen supply in ambulance lasted only for one hour.

Charges denied

Speaking to DH Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil said there is no shortage of beds at KIMS. Of the 250 beds reserved for Covid-19, only 190 have been occupied.

Vivekananda Hospital, which is duty bound to treat Covid-19 patients, to distance itself from the responsibilities has ‘created’ this video and circulating it, he said.

“When they have treated the patients for two days, what was the need for them to send the patients to KIMS after they turned positive for Covid-19. This violates all the norms set by the government,” he said and added that action would be initiated against the hospital for shunning the patients.

Patil claimed that the two patients were admitted to KIMS later.