Woman suffering from pneumonia declared COVID-19 patient

RAWALPINDI: A woman who passed away from pneumonia at a renowned hospital was declared a patient of the coronavirus, her family has claimed.

Taskeen Malik, a resident of Dhoke Hukumdad area was admitted by her son to Bahria International Hospital located in Phase VIII Bahria Town three days ago. The deceased was identified as a COVID-19 patient although a test conducted on 1st June from a renowned private laboratory declared her negative from the virus.

Her son Arsalan Malik said the hospital is now refusing to hand over the body of his deceased mother. He said that his mother was suffering from pneumonia for a long time and was admitted to hospital.

He said that no hospital was willing to provide treatment due to the coronavirus situation after which the Bahria International Hospital finally agreed to admit her. He said that they conducted a COVID-19 test from Maroof International Hospital prior to admission at Bahria International Hospital which declared her as negative from the virus.

The woman was admitted in general ward no. 1 and not in the special isolation ward for coronavirus patients and a security deposit of Rs150,000 was also provided to the hospital, he said. He added the next day the hospital demanded a sum of Rs225,000 for coronavirus treatment even though his mother was not suffering from the virus.

On May 26, the woman’s situation worsened after being admitted in hospital for three days. The hospital administration said that she was under intensive care and even her family members were not allowed to see her.

He said they remained at the hospital for three days but were not allowed to see his mother. As a safety precaution, they conducted COVID-19 tests of all his brothers and sisters which declared all of them as negative from the virus.

He claimed that the hospital administration shifted his mother to coronavirus ward after she passed away and doctors told him that she has died from the virus. He said that hospital staff is refusing to provide her dead body claiming that she was a coronavirus victim and that she should make arrangements for a grave and district administration workers will bury her.

He decried injustice that his mother has died from pneumonia but was declared a coronavirus victim and her body was not being handed over for proper burial rites and now hospital staff is demanding more money. He said he asked the hospital to conduct a COVID-19 test of this mother but received no response.

He appealed to the prime minister and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to provide justice as they are helpless against the hospital staff and be allowed to hold a proper funeral for their deceased mother.