Rural pulse: In Haryana villages, Covid-19 patients wait for doctors

Lack of medical staff and reckless behaviour fuelling Covid-19 surge in the hinterland

A few days ago, Rohtas Kundu was taken to a private hospital in Baha­durgarh, 68 km from his home at Titoli village in Haryana’s Rohtak district. The 43-year-old died of Covid-19 this week — due to a lack of timely medical attention, according to his relatives.

Titoli has a Covid care centre equipped with oxygen cylind­e­rs and concentrators, and me­d­i­cines. Then, why wasn’t Rohtas treated at his own village?

He simply didn’t have a choice.

It’s a reality that reflects the state of health infrastructure in the rural hinterland.

The Covid care centre in Tit­oli does not have a single doctor, nurse or any