Before death, COVID patient sends selfie videos to dad alleging Hyderabad hospital denied ventilator

A selfie video of a 34-year-old man, who succumbed to COVID-19 at a government hospital in Hyderabad, that has gone viral on social media, alleges that he was not given oxygen support even after he complained of breathlessness.

The incident that took place on Friday and the video had surfaced on social media and by Sunday had sparked outrage among social media users.

In the selfie video the man is heard saying that he is struggling to breathe as his ventilator had been removed. In the video addressed to his father, the man says he has been in this condition for the past three hours. Shortly after the video was sent, the man passed away.

Venkatesh, father of patient Ravi Kumar speaking to over the phone on Sunday said: "My son aged 34 years had high fever and we took him to several hospitals in our neighbourhood on June 23 but none admitted him. Then we went to NIMS where a doctor referred us to the Chest hospital in Erragadda."

"On June 24 we admitted him to the Chest hospital but even at Erragadda hospital nobody treated my son, they did not even provide oxygen to him. Even after he requested them they didn't give him oxygen and said they did not know what to do. On June 26 early hours Ravi sent three videos to me and later I received a call from hospital that he had passed away."

Venkatesh said they received the COVID report stating that Ravi was positive.

"The hospital called us at around 2:00 am and said that our son is no more," Venkatesh said.

The father also alleged that the police personnel had not allowed the family inside the hospital when they had gone to get themselves tested.

"The police personnel did not allow us inside Gandhi Hospital when we went there for treatment. There are six people in our family and till now nobody has come to test us. My son recorded a video stating he was denied ventilator for three hours straight, due to which he turned critical and left this world. I feel sad about the health response in the State," the father of Ravi said.

V Ravi Kumar is survived by his wife and two children.

( With inputs from ANI )