In a heart-wrenching incident in Delhi, a 46-year-old cancer patient passed away after multiple hospitals refused to admit him. Puneet Sharma along with his wife Sapna and their four children, travelled from Uttarakhand's Kashipur to avail treatment for his his advanced tongue cancer. However, he and his family went to nine hospitals to treatment but were denied admission. Sharma's cancer had metastasised to other organs.
How the ordeal began
On March 16, Puneet was admitted to the Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI). However, on March 28, DSCI referred him to either AIIMS or GB Pant Hospital because of the unavailability of intensive care facilities at the institute. According to reports, the family went to AIIMS on March 29 and was denied admission allegedly without any medical examination.
Sapna reportedly said that despite pleading with AIIMS doctors, the family was told that the hospital did not have enough beds and ventilators. The hospital told the Sharma family to go to Safdarjung Hospital instead.
Lack of beds and ventilators at Delhi hospitals
When Puneet and his family to Safdarjung Hospital, she said they were refused. Following this, the family went to GB Pant Hospital, where they were again denied help. In desperation, Sapna reportedly sought the police's help. Despite the police intervention, the hospital refused to admit Sharma citing lack of beds and ventilators.
For nearly nine hours, Sapna rushed from one department to the other in the hospital seeking help for her ailing husband. Ultimately, Sharma and his family returned to DSCI on March 30, where he tragically died at around 5 am.
Sapna reportedly said her husband's passing away as "institutional death" resulting from government negligence.
