Dead or alive? Vanasthalipuram COVID infected man's wife cries foul

Hyderabad: A woman from Vanasthalipuram, has alleged that her husband, who was a Covid-19 patient has gone missing from the state-run Gandhi hospital, which is the nodal center for Coronavirus in Hyderabad.

The 42-year-old woman said that the hospital administration has told her that her husband died on May 1 and was cremated on May 2. “On April 27, my husband was admitted to King Koti hospital. After his test came back positive, he was shifted to Gandhi on April 30. On May 1, they (hospital administration) said he is no more and has been cremated a day later. However, they didn’t take the family's permission before his cremation. Also, none of us have seen his body,” she said.

(An archived version of the tweet can be found here.)

The woman along with around 15 family members from Vanasthalipuram was admitted to Gandhi hospital around the same time. According to Madhavi, she and the rest of their family members were discharged from the hospital on May 16. On the day of their discharge, the woman claimed to have enquired about her husband.

“We asked the hospital management to show evidence of cremation, but there was no response. On the day of our discharge, we again questioned the management about my husband. But that time they said he is on a ventilator. Now, they are saying he is not alive,” the woman tweeted.

Gandhi hospital superintendent Dr. M Rajarao, however, said the man expired on May 1 and due procedures were followed for his cremation.

“Madhusudhan, 42, was admitted to Gandhi Hospital with a positive diagnosis of Covid-19. His condition was serious. He was suffering from bilateral pneumonia with ARDS. Despite our best efforts, he could not be saved," he said.

Dr. Rajarao said he expired on May 1 at 6:03 pm and as per procedure, the family members were informed. "The body was handed over to police. The signature of the officer was duly taken. On inquiry, the body was cremated by GHMC. Later, his family members were also admitted to Gandhi Hospital. We sympathize with the family, but it is wrong to defame the hospital and other staff who are treating hundreds of Coronavirus cases,” he said.