MUMBAI: Things were looking up for the Kadam family. They were about to trade their room in a Dharavi chawl for an apartment at Palava, Dombivali. The children were excited about making new friends. Then Covid-19 struck and claimed two members of the family—Atish and his father Devidas—within 10 days of each other. Atish’s wife Kavita, two young sons and his mother have all tested positive for the virus and are currently quarantined in a Covid care centre in Mahim.
Steady support from neighbours and relatives is the only thing helping the Kadams keep it together.
Generations of Kadams have lived in Dharavi. Devidas (68) was engaged in the leather trade till he retired. He was actively involved with a Navratri club, Bharat Bhoomi Krida Mandal, and “though not very rich, he unfailingly helped those in need,” said residents.
Atish (36) inherited his father’s kindness. After Covid struck, he began to distribute rations to Dharavi residents. “Atish was employed at an accounting firm. His wife had stopped working after their second child,” said Rahul Prakash, a neighbour. In June, the family was to shift to their new home in Palava and get the children, aged 10 and three, enrolled in a local school there. But the lockdown stalled their plans.
Towards the end of May, Devidas took ill. The family consulted a physician and started him on antibiotics. But on May 29, he began to feel breathless. He was rushed to Nair Hospital where he died within three hours. The death certificate mentioned acute respiratory distress syndrome in a suspected Covid patient. A grief-stricken Atish cremated his father and three days later, he started feeling breathless too. Atish already had diabetes, hypertension and a kidney injury.
On June 1, his cousins got him admitted to Sion Hospital where he tested positive for Covid.
“Under the bed allotted to Atish, we found a pool of fluid, probably from a previous patient. The hospital staff hadn’t cleaned it,” said his cousin Vijay Pol. Relatives were seen attending to patients in the special Covid ward and doing their work. “We would massage Atish’s back and legs whenever he was in pain. We were worried about contracting the virus but there was no one else for Atish,” said another cousin. Atish developed pneumonia and respiratory failure and died on June 7.
After his death, two of his relatives were asked to carry his body. “It was only the next day, while moving the body out of the mortuary for last rites, did we find out from a bystander that PPE suits were being provided by the hospital if asked for,” said Pol.
Dean Dr Ramesh Bharmal refuted the allegations and said patients’ relatives were not allowed in the Covid ward. “The only exception is if a patient is very serious, then a relative may be allowed in for just a few minutes. The ward is regularly disinfected with sodium hypochlorite,” said Dr Bharmal.
Atish’s mother, a cancer survivor, hasn’t been told of his death. “Kavita, her two sons and her mother-in-law were quarantined in a nursing home soon after. We had to take the tough decision of cremating Atish in the absence of his immediate family,” said Sanjay Kadam, a relative.
Relatives and neighbours have been in touch with Kavita on phone, enquiring about her health and the rest of the family. “We have assured her that we would be around to support her at every step and she is not alone,” said Sanjay.
Steady support from neighbours and relatives is the only thing helping the Kadams keep it together.
Generations of Kadams have lived in Dharavi. Devidas (68) was engaged in the leather trade till he retired. He was actively involved with a Navratri club, Bharat Bhoomi Krida Mandal, and “though not very rich, he unfailingly helped those in need,” said residents.
Atish (36) inherited his father’s kindness. After Covid struck, he began to distribute rations to Dharavi residents. “Atish was employed at an accounting firm. His wife had stopped working after their second child,” said Rahul Prakash, a neighbour. In June, the family was to shift to their new home in Palava and get the children, aged 10 and three, enrolled in a local school there. But the lockdown stalled their plans.
Towards the end of May, Devidas took ill. The family consulted a physician and started him on antibiotics. But on May 29, he began to feel breathless. He was rushed to Nair Hospital where he died within three hours. The death certificate mentioned acute respiratory distress syndrome in a suspected Covid patient. A grief-stricken Atish cremated his father and three days later, he started feeling breathless too. Atish already had diabetes, hypertension and a kidney injury.
On June 1, his cousins got him admitted to Sion Hospital where he tested positive for Covid.
“Under the bed allotted to Atish, we found a pool of fluid, probably from a previous patient. The hospital staff hadn’t cleaned it,” said his cousin Vijay Pol. Relatives were seen attending to patients in the special Covid ward and doing their work. “We would massage Atish’s back and legs whenever he was in pain. We were worried about contracting the virus but there was no one else for Atish,” said another cousin. Atish developed pneumonia and respiratory failure and died on June 7.
After his death, two of his relatives were asked to carry his body. “It was only the next day, while moving the body out of the mortuary for last rites, did we find out from a bystander that PPE suits were being provided by the hospital if asked for,” said Pol.
Dean Dr Ramesh Bharmal refuted the allegations and said patients’ relatives were not allowed in the Covid ward. “The only exception is if a patient is very serious, then a relative may be allowed in for just a few minutes. The ward is regularly disinfected with sodium hypochlorite,” said Dr Bharmal.
Atish’s mother, a cancer survivor, hasn’t been told of his death. “Kavita, her two sons and her mother-in-law were quarantined in a nursing home soon after. We had to take the tough decision of cremating Atish in the absence of his immediate family,” said Sanjay Kadam, a relative.
Relatives and neighbours have been in touch with Kavita on phone, enquiring about her health and the rest of the family. “We have assured her that we would be around to support her at every step and she is not alone,” said Sanjay.
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