COVID-19: Suspension of Operations at DSCI Leaves Cancer Patients in Lurch

Vinod Kumar, a scrap dealer by profession in Kirari in North West Delhi, was living a simple life amid the routine hustle bustle of work till February this year, when the doctors at a leading private hospital detected three tumours in his wind pipe causing obstruction in breathing. The results were devastating for the family as he was the sole bread earner supporting his family of seven members.

Expecting a huge cost for treatment in the hospital, Kumar’s family decided to the approach Delhi Government-run Delhi State Cancer Institute for further consultation and treatment. The family believed that Kumar would overcome the deadly disease but the hopes were extinguished after the doctors at the institute were found infected with COVID-19, leading to the entire hospital being sealed. The family had no choice but return to another private hospital.

Services at the Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) have been suspended till further notice in view of 21 people testing positive at the facility. The institute caters to around a thousand patients on a regular basis.

Talking to NewsClick, Kumar’s relative said, “The closing of the institute left us without option. His condition was gradually deteriorating. So, we moved to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre. Doctors have so far conducted two chemotherapy sessions and each session costs between Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. Third session will be conducted on April 25. Let’s see what happens.”

Talking over phone, she further said in a shaking voice, “Our savings are exhausted now. Had the institute been open, we would have been able to get affordable cancer care without much worry. Now, we literally do not have any money. Even in this pandemic, I cannot have essential ration because our names were deleted from the list of beneficiaries because we were in our village for some time.”

Also read: COVID-19: No Ration and Poor Quality Food, Complain Residents of Delhi’s Remote Areas

Kumar’s family is hoping for a miracle to see him healthy and fit. But the suspension of operations at the institute did not hit Kumar’s family alone. Few kilometres away, Mohd Karim’s family, too, is looking for resumption of operations. Doctors at the institute had informed Karim that he had oral cancer and needed a surgery at the earliest. However, he has to wait three months for his surgery.

Talking to NewsClick, Fahim Bano, Karim’s wife, said, “We had no time as the cancer was spreading to other areas of the body. We moved to Fortis Hospital where we were asked to pay Rs 2.80 lakh. We were stunned. Somehow, we borrowed money from friends and relatives. The surgery was successful and they removed his lower jaw but it came with another issue. The doctors said that the cancer may return again if he was not given ample sessions of radiation and chemotherapy. We moved back to the institute for the sessions. But all of a sudden, this pandemic emerged and the treatment has stopped. The hospital did not even guide us for seeking further treatment. We really do not know what to do now.”

Ashok Agarwal, prominent activist who has been helping critical patients in accessing affordable healthcare, suggests that the government should have acted proactively to help existing critical patients. He said, “The existing number of patients suffering from critical diseases is still large in comparison. Can we leave these patients to die just because we are preparing our hospitals for the pandemic. Our calculation suggest that 21% beds reserved for Economically Weaker Sections in private hospitals are vacant it could have used this capacity to save them. As far as patients of government hospitals seeking services of private healthcare are concerned, the government should pay them to ease the burden.”