COVID-19: Spouse stranded in Ghana, Chembur woman twice denied medical help; kin appeals

In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, a 43-year-old woman from Mumbai's Chembur tested positive for COVID-19 on March 26, along with her mother, and her 14-year-old son. However, the woman was denied a test or medical assistance when she first started showing symptoms back on March 18, a family member told Republic World. 

As per the family, Mumbai's Kasturba Hospital refused to entertain the 43-year-old woman on March 18, when she voluntarily visited to get herself checked after complaining of the symptoms. However, she was refused treatment allegedly on grounds that she had no travel history to a foreign country and an absence of dry cough, which is considered as one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19. Similarly, despite persistent symptoms, the mother of two was again denied assistance on March 22. 

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On March 25, she visited a local physician, who insisted on getting her tested. The next day, the woman was admitted to Fortis Hospital in Mulund after testing positive for the virus. On March 27, her son and mother too tested positive for the virus. Her 8-year-old daughter has tested negative for COVID-19. 

In conversation with Republic World, a relative of the COVID-19 patient said that despite getting in touch with the External Affairs Ministry, there was a lack of response in request to bring her husband back from Ghana to India, amid a nationwide lockdown. He further mentioned that the Ministry of External Affairs Secretary directed him to seek assistance from the local embassy in Ghana. 

Maharashtra govt seeks aid

The Maharashtra government has demanded a special package from the central government to contain the spread of the deadly Coronavirus in the state. Taking to Twitter, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stated that he has written a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Prakash Javadekar seeking a special Rs 25,000 crore package to tackle the crisis. 

The Coronavirus cases in the state of Maharashtra are rapidly increasing with over 230 positive cases reported so far. Even before Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the 21-day nationwide lockdown, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had announced a lockdown in the state to curb the increasing cases. 

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