'I regret the day I entered Kasturba'

Fatima Ratlamwala, a patient on the bed next to the swine flu casualty Famida Panwala, says she watched Famida through her last 18 hours

Fatima Ratlamwala, a patient on the bed next to the swine flu casualty Famida Panwala, says she watched Famida through her last 18 hours

Fatima Ratlamwala (48) was not a swine flu patient. But she spent three days next to the woman who died because of it. She had been admitted to Kasturba Hospital and got a bed next to Famida Panwala (33), the first victim to die of swine flu in Mumbai and the second in India. In this Sunday MiD DAY exclusive, she speaks of those who closely monitored Panwala during her last 18 hours.

Zainab Ratlamwala was in the same ward as Famida Panwala PIC/ SHADAB KHAN

Fatima says, "Famida was brought into Room no 30 at 8 pm on Friday (August 7). She had a breathing problem, but no ventilator was provided. Nothing much happened at night.

"I spoke to her at 11 am the next day. She said she was feeling fine and spoke to her relatives. However, after 1 pm, her condition started deteriorating. Two doctors and a nurse tried to pump her chest. The authorities seemed to be in a fix. And within two hours, her motionless body lay on the bed next to me. A chill ran through my spine."

Still in shock, Fatima reveals, "I had got my reports yesterday morning saying I was negative for H1N1 virus but I was not discharged. They said that they were busy with Famida." Fatima was discharged only at 6 pm.u00a0

Zainab, her daughter, says, "She had high fever, cough and colds for more than a week. On my friend's suggestion, I took her to Kasturba. A night before, I called on the Kasturba landline number, but no one answered." The family's ordeal began as soon as they stepped inside Kasturba. "My mother had 102 degrees fever and couldn't stand properly, but the authorities were least bothered."u00a0

Hospital or hell?

There were 15 patients in the same room as her, all suspected cases, says Fatima. "I regret the day I entered Kasturba. There was filth everywhere. Doctors and nurses hardly came to check. Four hours after I was admitted, they took my swab and then I hardly saw their face," says Fatima. Zainab wasn't allowed to be with her mother.

Dr Jairaj Thanekar, BMC executive health officer, says, "These are small criticisms. Such things happen in public hospitals." He then banged down the phone.

"Authorities are least bothered about the disease. The bed sheets were rarely changed. A lady and her three daughters were dirtying their bedsheets by killing lice from their heads. The day they were discharged, I overheard a ward boy saying, 'Rahun de. Kashala change karaycha ahe (Let it be. Why change the sheets?).
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The bed was soon occupied by another patient," Fatima says.

She had to eat hospital food that day. "It was half cooked rice and I can't say anything about the dal and sabzi. I vomited four times in the bucket next to me and believe me, it remained there till next afternoon. I lived with the stink for nearly 20 hours. I had to ask my daughter to bring food from home after that," adds Fatima.
"My mother pleaded with me to take her home or she would die. The other patients were merrily eating Chinese food and masala dosas; the doctors didn't bother," says Zainab.

Fatima was shocked when a doctor who came to visit her after many requests, told her to be patient as he had lots of work to do.

"One Dr Suraj reasoned that it was tedious to wear the necessary clothes and enter the special ward. Nurses too stayed away. The doctors didn't have any answers for patients and relatives."

Fatima suggests that the government start screening and treating the swine flu in private hospitals only.