75-year-old symptomatic man dies in quarantine; son blames BMC, doctors

MUMBAI: After a 75-year-old man died in a quarantine centre in Powai on Sunday, his son held doctors at the centre and at Bhabha Hospital, Kurla responsible for his death. Dinesh Jadhav (40), a Kanjurmarg resident, said his father should have been tested and treated for Covid as he had the symptoms, but the BMC failed to act in time.
Parshuram’s death certificate, issued by Rajawadi Hospital, lists cause as ‘heart attack’. A Covid test was done post-mortem, and results are awaited.
On June 24, Dinesh’s 70-year-old mother Neelam tested positive. BMC officials sent her to a Covid care centre in Bhandup, and the rest of the family to the centre in Powai, which included Dinesh’s father Parshuram, his wife, and their three daughters.
“My father had fever too. We told them to do a Covid test, but they refused. At the quarantine centre, I repeatedly told the doctors for three days that my father’s health was failing. They didn’t give any medicines either,” said Dinesh.
Dinesh took his father to Bhabha Hospital on Friday, but the doctors refused to admit him without a Covid test report. Back at the centre, he told the doctors his father was showing symptoms and should be treated immediately. He had fever, cough and breathing issues. Doctors said they had no Covid medicines, only paracetamol.
On Sunday, Parshuram went to the washroom around 8pm. When he did not answer his son’s calls, Dinesh called security. They found Parshuram unconscious on the floor. The centre doctors said he had died. Still, Dinesh and his wife took him to Rajawadi Hospital, where he was declared dead.
Former MP Kirit Somaiya demanded an inquiry into the matter. He said there were major lapses on part of BMC, and demanded justice for the family.