Varavara Rao shifted to Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital for better treatment

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad-based poet Varavara Rao has been shifted to Nanavati hospital in Mumbai for better treatment. Rao, who has tested positive for COVID-19, was earlier admitted to Mumbai's JJ Hospital. However, he was allegedly not getting proper treatment there and his family found him soaked in urine in a hospital bed in the transit ward.

In view of his deteriorating condition and poor medical care, Maja Daruwala, the executive director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The commission, which had already asked the Maharashtra government to submit a report on Rao's health condition, directed the state chief secretary to look into the matter on an urgent basis and personally monitor the situation. Further, the commission, on Saturday, had directed the chief secretary to shift Rao to the best COVID-19 hospital. He was shifted to Nanavati hospital as per the commission’s directions.

Rao’s nephew, N. Venu Gopal, confirmed the development in a Facebook post. "As per NHRC directions, VV is shifted to Nanavati Hospital. Following the National Human Rights Commission's directions to Maharashtra government to provide better medical treatment to VV in a government/private super speciality hospital, he is now shifted to Nanavati Hospital. Till yesterday evening he was in a government COVID facility, St George Hospital and the government decided to shift him to a private super speciality hospital in the evening. Reportedly, according to availability of beds, a reservation was made in Nanavati Hospital around 8 pm yesterday and it was said he may be moved any moment. Now it is known that he was shifted around 1 am. It is reported that even now there are no COVID symptoms and he is stable on COVID front. Treatment of neurological and urological fronts is going on. However, there is no official information to the family till now (sic),” the post read.