How Covid-19 patients being treated in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: She is the only Covid-19 patient admitted to Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI). For 24 hours she wasn’t provided any blanket and food despite her repeated requests. The Punjab government took notice of this insufficient preparation and maltreatment of the coronavirus victim after a viral audio tape of the patient’s mother.

Syeda Dania Ali, 21, came from London on March 13. She felt Covid-19 symptoms while she was onboard from the United Kingdom to Islamabad. Got her coronavirus test positive from Chughtai Lab. Soon after her lab tests, Punjab Health Department authorities approached the family and took the patient with them to Gangaram Hospital. However, after waiting for almost two hours they referred her to PKLI saying that Covid-19 patients will be treated there.

At around 1:30am the same day they reached PKLI but after waiting for an hour the hospital management told the patient’s attendants to take her back home as they are not prepared yet. Dania’s family took her back to home. They kept her in isolation and provided her best food to maintain her immunity level. She, according to her mother, was recovering fast. After a day when she was sent back, the Health Department’s authorities contacted the family again and told them that they have made the full preparations for the Covid-19 patients, therefore, she has to come with them. They sent her with the health officials where she was admitted on Wednesday.

However, for the first twenty hours the hospital management didn’t provide her any blanket as she was feeling cold neither she was given any food during this period. She, being the only female patient, is surrounded with all male staff. Her family hired a female nurse who could accompany her but the hospital management sent her back. Her health was deteriorating after which Dania’s mother recorded an audio tape and released it on social media.

Ana Ali — mother of Syeda Dania Ali while talking to The News said her two kids are studying in University of Westminster, London. Dania is doing Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Marketing whereas her son Syed Mohammad Ali, 20, is doing Bachelor’s in Business Marketing.

According to her, they both (Dania and Mohammad Ali) returned from London together last Friday. “She came from London to Islamabad because there was no flight available for Lahore. She felt headache and fever during the flight. “She asked me to send all the servants on leave because I am feeling certain health issues. She was checked at Islamabad Airport but the authorities cleared her and hence she reached home. After reaching home, she called Chughtai Lab and got her corona tests”, she informed.

“I got my both kids’ tests from Chughtai Lab. The lab tests came in 16 hours. Dania’s tests were positive whereas Mohammad Ali’s tests were negative. At the same time, Chughtai Lab informed the Punjab Health Department. Within an hour a team arrived at our home. The health team informed us that they have arranged an ambulance and have to shift Dania to Gangaram hospital”, informed Mrs Ana.

During this period, she checked with Gangaram hospital whether it has all the facilities for coronavirus treatment. She was informed that it was fully equipped hence she told her daughter to go with the team.

“I was surprised when I saw the media vans and police vehicles gathered outside our house. This was a breach of our privacy. However, when we reached the hospital my kid was asked to wait outside. She waited there for an hour and a half and there was no facility for coronavirus treatment. Then they told us that there is another hospital in Defence (PKLI) you should take her there. We took her to PKLI at around 1:30am. After waiting for almost an hour, we were told by the hospital management to take her back to home. The hospital management told us that she has awareness about coronavirus and she can take care of herself,” said Mrs Ana Ali.

“After coming back from PKLI we isolated her and started caring for her. She started recovering fast as we provided her best possible food nutrition to keep her immunity level maintained. But after a day we received the call that they have arranged everything now therefore we should send our kid back to hospital. She hasn’t been given any vitamins, liquids or any other medicine for a whole day. She has been asking for blanket, food but she hasn’t been provided. Her health has been deteriorating since she is admitted to the hospital. She is constantly complaining about mosquitoes but hospital management doesn’t care about it”, she commented. She warned the general public to take care of themselves because the government is not at all equipped. “I have never seen such a powerless system which I seen now”, she commented. When contacted Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid, her secretary informed that the minister is busy and unable to talk to this scribe.