‘Lapses at Mumbai Quarantine Centre Led to My Father’s Passing’

Video Editor: Prashant Chauhan
Video Producer: Aliza Noor

On 13 June, my 46-year-old father met with his untimely demise at a quarantine centre in Mumbai’s Malad.

He did not pass away because he had coronavirus but because he fell on the bathroom floor at the facility where we all were quarantined. The failure of the administration cost my father his life.

It all started when BMC officials along with the police came to our house early in the week and said there was a coronavirus patient in the area, hence, we’d all have to be quarantined at a school.

We told them that we have self-quarantined already and are sanitising everything. They agreed and left.

Officials came again after three days to say that institutional quarantine is necessary as everyone uses a common bathroom in the area. The doctors present told us that if we test positive, they will not treat us and charge us a fine of Rs 20,000. In that fear, we shifted to the centre.

We were told that we will be tested for coronavirus but even after 2 or 3 days had passed, there was no test.

At the centre, the dinner we were served had a dead fly in it, so we threw it away. All of us were hungry but we weren't given any breakfast till 10 am the next day. Because of the weakness, papa slipped while going to the washroom as there was water on the floor. There was no maintenance and the bathroom was not cleaned. He suffered a head injury.

We were all were scared. We called for the quarantine management and asked them to call the doctor, the police, or even an ambulance. This went on for half an hour. They did not call anyone. My father desperately needed medical help. Still, no ambulance or help came.

The watchman of the facility locked the gate and none of the officials came to pick him up. They refused to touch him because they thought he was coronavirus positive. However, they were all wearing PPE kits.

Even before checking, how can it be assumed that we are COVID-19 patients?

Several Lapses

We kept trying to make calls in vain. Then, other people at the centre helped in getting the gate opened. We rushed him to Shatabdi Hospital but my father was declared dead on arrival.

Everyone else was released from the quarantine centre after the accident. Then what is the point of the 14-day quarantine? Why were we not tested? Why was no doctor or ambulance called during emergency?

The accident happened on 13 June and since then there has been no update from authorities or the government. We have only been sent my father's COVID-19 test report which came back negative.

(The Quint’s calls to the BMC Ward Officer have gone unanswered. The story will be updated if there is a response.)

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