Farmers Movement Archive

Makeshift hospital at Singhu now extends COVID support

The makeshift hospital at Singhu border protest site is not only taking care of the protesting farmers but also those struggling in Delhi-NCR with oxygen cylinders and ambulance. Avtar Singh, who runs the Life Care Foundation Hospital, recalled an incident over three days ago. With profound grief, he said that an eight-month pregnant COVID positive woman came with her husband in the hope that the hospital could treat COVID-19 patients but unable to do so, they provided her with the ambulance. “Her husband said that they were unable to arrange an ambulance to go looking for a hospital as her oxygen was dropping. We then provided them with our ambulance which is fitted with oxygen and told them that they can keep it for as much time as required,” he said. Unfortunately, the woman couldn’t find a hospital for a long time and when she did, ahead of Karnal, she passed away in two hours, Mr. Singh said. According to Mr. Singh, they receive several SOS calls for help from neighbouring Singhu village as well. The hospital has been able to provide oxygen to those in need after thorough verification. “When we receive these calls, we don’t take the patient’s word for it. We tell the family members to show us the patient on video call first and see his or her oxygen levels after which the cylinder is provided,” he said. On Saturday, Mr. Singh said that they received a call from a family of a 40-year-old resident of Singhu village that his oxygen levels were dropping and they need a cylinder urgently. “We verified the information and provided the family with one cylinder of 47 litres of liquid oxygen. The person’s oxygen levels had dropped to 70,” he said. The team at the hospital then also checks on the patient regularly and guides them as to when should look for a hospital. According to Mr. Avtar, those residing in the village find it tougher to arrange a hospital bed or oxygen because they’re in the outskirts of the city and there are less resources around there. In a related development, the protest, he claimed was continuing and many protesters are taking the COVID-19 situation seriously as opposed to what how they believed initially when the protest started in November. “Locals like labourers, workers and street vendors are asked to wear a mask strictly because they don’t lodge here,” he said.

The Hindu

2021-05-04

NEW DELHI