Pune: Kolkata man dies for want of B positive blood at Sassoon Hospital
Mehab Qureshi
Pune, May 13, 2020: A 34-year-old man died allegedly for want of B-positive blood. Rigdeb Banerjee from Kolkata was admitted to Sassoon hospital on the accounts of feeling very uneasy and weak. However, within 24 hours he was declared dead. He worked at a hotel in Hinjawadi.
“His colleague took him to the hospital on Sunday evening. He was vomiting continuously and was not able to eat anything. The hospital staffs also did not give food or water to my son”, said Rigdeb’s father Ratnadem who was in ultimate shock and grief.
“The patient had severe anaemia and required B positive blood, which was not available in the blood bank. Usually, resident doctors and medical officers donate blood. However, only a third of the staff is working with non-COVID patients and the load is tremendous. Normally, friends or family members manage to arrange blood through donors, but, due to the lockdown, there is a shortage at the blood banks. Unfortunately, the patient passed away”, said Murlidhar Tambe, acting dean of Sassoon hospital.
“The last we spoke over the phone was around noon, and his words were I am sinking Dad, please take me out of this place. Then, I was informed that he had died. His endurance was very high, he was a fitness freak”, said the grieving father.
A member of NGO Area Sabha Association of Pune Mr Sathya performed the last rites by consent of the deceased person family in West Bengal. He live-streamed the last rites on his phone. Nobody else was there for the funeral.
