Beware! Devices many, but home treatment for COVID-19 can go terribly wrong

Beware! Devices many, but home treatment for COVID-19 can go terribly wrong

Volunteers who have been helping patients get beds or oxygen cylinders, have come across cases where even if a patient’s condition is deteriorating, the family opts for home isolation.

Published: 31st May 2021 05:18 AM |

By Iffath Fathima

Express News Service

BENGALURU: With the availability of oxygen cylinders and home isolation as an option for treatment of Covid patients, there have been cases of people delaying going to hospital, resulting in many losing their lives.

Volunteers who have been helping patients get beds or oxygen cylinders, have come across cases where even if a patient’s condition is deteriorating, the family opts for home isolation and procures cylinders and other equipment to start treatment at home.

In one case, a 30-year-old covid patient, a resident of Rachenahalli, had cough, breathlessness and dropping oxygen levels. Initially, she was taken to a private clinic and given oxygen, and her oxygen saturation level touched 88. The family brought her home, with the idea of starting home isolation, with the support of oxygen cylinders.

The family arranged for 5-6 oxygen cylinders, devices like BiPAP machine (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure), nebuliser and non-rebreather mask, and the patient went from bad to worse within five days of home isolation. When volunteers tried to arrange for a ventilator bed, the patient’s family was choosy about the hospital.

Mohammed Ismail, volunteer with Mercy Mission, said, “Initially, the patient just required a HDU (high dependency) bed, but the patient’s family brought in every gadget and started treatment at home, which led to her condition worsening, and she needed an ICU bed. In spite of attempts to arrange beds, they were picky and said they would go for admission the next day. No hospital is going to hold beds in these times of crisis. This is not the first case, we have come across many such incidents. Lives should not be put at risk.”

However, late at night, another volunteer managed to convince the family, and the patient was sent to a private hospital.

In another case, a 63-year-old man from Nagawara, who was Covid-positive with oxygen saturation level dropping to 60, was getting treated at home. “The family doctor advised them to stay home and get treated. They went looking for oxygen cylinders, which took two hours, and the doctor took two hours to come and start treatment. The patient lost four hours, his condition worsened and he passed away,” said another volunteer.

Meanwhile, a senior doctor from a private hospital said, “In spite of telling people to get admitted early or start the right treatment at home, they don’t heed us. If the oxygen level starts dropping, they need to get to hospital fast. Now, with BBMP starting triage centres, things might get better.”