In last talk with kin, ex-ragi alleged lack of medical care

AMRITSAR: An audio clip of former Golden Temple ‘hazoori ragi’ (traditional Gurbani singer) Nirmal Singh Khalsa’s last phone talk with his family members alleging lack of proper medical care for the coronavirus patients, which went viral on social media on Saturday, has evoked sharp political reactions, including demands for an apology from the chief minister.

In the audio, Nirmal Singh can be heard complaining of lack of proper treatment at Amritsar’s Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, which is a part of Government Medical College, and urging his family members to shift him to some other hospital.

After developing Covid-19 symptoms, Nirmal Singh was admitted to the hospital on March 30 and he tested positive for the virus on April 1. He breathed his last at 4.30am the next day.

In the audio clip of his last conversation, Nirmal Singh is poignantly telling his family that doctors were not giving him medicines and that he will rather commit suicide. His family members, especially his son named Amiteshwar Singh, is heard giving pep talk and even saying ‘I love you, daddy’, in a voice crackling with emotions.

While confirming the authenticity of the touchy audio clip that has brought the arrangements to treat Covid-19 patients in the state under a cloud, his son said, “Poor arrangements were responsible for my father’s death. We kept on raising our concern before the authorities of the Government Medical College and they kept assuring us that my father will recover.”

“I would like to raise another question that why have not any of my other family members, except my sister, diagnosed with Covid-19. My wife, my son, my mother, my grandmother and grandfather, who is 95, have tested negative despite the fact that we lived together. Doctors are not yet clear on my sister’s status and they will conduct a confirmatory test,” he said. He said the conditions at the hospital were unhygienic. “There was a great rush at the hospital and fungus could be seen on the beds for patients. I feel, he contracted the virus at the hospital. Negligence and poor medical arrangements killed my father not Covid-19,” he said.

Notably, Nirmal Singh was asthmatic.

One-and-half hour after the phone call, special chief secretary of Punjab Karanbir Singh Sidhu had shared on social media that “Bhai Nirmal Singh has been put on ventilator a few hours back in the hospital. His risk factor increased due to his bronchial asthama”.

Amritsar civil surgeon Dr Prabhdeep Kaur Johal said she could not comment on the matter as the college didn’t come under her jurisdiction.

Government Medical College (GMC) principal Dr Sujata Sharma, and medical superintendent of the hospital Dr Raman Sharma did not take the phone call despite repeated attempts.

DAUGHTER TESTS +VE

JALANDHAR: The 35-year-old daughter of Nirmal Singh Khalsa also tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday. A resident of Lohian Khas in Shahkot sub-division, she is undergoing treatment at the civil hospital in Jalandhar.

Special chief secretary Karanbir Singh Sidhu confirmed the news.