Treatment or last rites of Covid patients; money-minters are leaving no opportunity to encash situation

Aurangabad, April 20:

In the past year, 1.10 lakh citizens got Coronavirus infected, 2,180 had lost their lives and 15,630 are active patients taking treatment in various hospitals of the district. The relatives of Covid patients, however, grieved that at every desk, may it be of a hospital or to perform last rites, they are told to deposit the money first. The question scribbles to our mind, where has humanity gone? The whole world had come to a grinding halt due to the terror of the virus, but there are some, who are trying their best to encash the situation and make money out of it?

No bed in hospital; No space in crematorium

The relatives of patients had to struggle hard in finding beds with ventilator or oxygen facility in private hospitals of the city. Before admission of a patient, the relatives are directed to deposit an advance of Rs 50,000 or Rs 1 lakh. Ironically, this does not guarantee that the patient would get admission to the hospital. It is observed that the private hospitals are least bothered about the critical condition of the patients. If he recovers his health and gets discharged then bills between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh is collected from him. If he dies, then his relatives had to pay between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh or else the body is not handed it over to them. After spending hours taking possession of the body, the relatives again had to wait for an indefinite time at the crematorium due to a shortage of space.

Nothing comes free

Daily 25 to 28 deaths are taking place. The last rites upon each body are done in the city. The AMC had appointed two NGOs to perform the last rites. One organisation performs the last rites free of cost, while another one takes an honorarium of 2,500 per body. Besides, the AMC also releases an honorarium of Rs 2,500 per body. However, it has been observed that the relatives are compelled to pay more money at the crematorium telling the cost of wood has hiked. Although it is free, one organisation takes between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 from the relatives. The AMC issues five PPE kits, free of cost, to perform last rites upon each body. However, the money of the PPE kits is also collected from the relatives, it is learnt.

Two examples

It so happened that a 68-year-old person from Satara locality died. His last rites were performed at the N-6 crematorium. The NGO and caretaker collected extra money from the relatives saying that an additional quantity of wood was used for the last rites.

In another case, the 58-year-old person from Roshan Gate was buried at the Kile Ark graveyard. The NGO personnel collected money from the relatives saying it is the charges of the labourer for digging the grave, PPE kits etc.

It's free of cost

The municipal officer of health (MoH) Dr Neeta Padalkar said," The last rites upon Covid patients is done free of cost. If the relatives should have registered complaints to AMC about the collection of additional money then the AMC would have taken immediate action. However, the office had not received any written complaint in this regard, so far."