Dheeraj Kumar, 18, had to shuttle between three government hospitals in Noida and Greater Noida for five days to get medical care for his mother, a suspected Covid-19 patient.

Shakuntala Devi, 46, who has a kidney stone, a cough and breathing problems, was admitted to the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida around 1am on Monday.

Dheeraj, a resident of Hoshiyarpur in Noida’s Sector 51, said the family’s ordeal began on June 3.

“We first went to the ESIC hospital in Sector 24 on June 3. They sent us back with some medicines but the next day, my mother again experienced pain,” the Class XII student said.

“We went to the hospital but were denied treatment and told to get a Covid-19 test done. They referred us to the district hospital in Sector 30.”

Dheeraj said that when he and his mother went to the district hospital, they were referred to the GIMS.

“The GIMS sent us back, saying they did not have a vacant bed,” he said.

Dheeraj said he spoke to Gautam Buddh Nagar district magistrate Suhas L.Y. over the phone on Sunday (June 7) morning and was assured his mother would get treatment. In the evening, chief medical officer (CMO) Deepak Ohri too assured help.

“We came to the district hospital around 1pm (on Sunday) and were sent to the GIMS. They (GIMS) told us they did not have a vacant bed,” he said.

“Around evening, we got a bed here (district hospital), but the medical staff referred us (again) to the GIMS, citing lack of facilities.”

Dheeraj said that on other days, he took his mother to hospital on a friend’s bike but on Sunday, as the friend had to go to work, he was at the mercy of ambulances.

“I thought I would take a cab but some people at the hospital advised me against it. We have been waiting for an ambulance since 7pm. I tried 108 (helpline number) but did not get any help,” he said at 10.30pm on Sunday.

Eventually, an ambulance arrived around midnight and his mother was admitted to the GIMS around 1am.

“The hospital has said she would be tested for Covid-19. They have sent me back home since it’s a suspected coronavirus case,” Dheeraj said on Monday.

The DM and the CMO did not respond to phone calls or text messages.

Dheeraj lives with his father, a private security guard who is off work because of an injury, his mother and an elder sister. Two other elder sisters are married, he said.