Cancer patients stuck in subway shifted to a quarantine facility at Chhatarpur

New Delhi: Cancer patients who were taking shelter at a subway just outside All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have been shifted to a quarantine facility at Chhatarpur. However, the trouble of the patients is far from over as they struggle with basic medical facilities.

The patients who have serious case of cancer are struggling ever since the government announced lockdown due to the pandemic that has gripped the entire country. Dashant, whose 4-year-old daughter has a tumour in her mouth, is living in the shelter home. "We were brought here two days back, after the police, through he means of intimidation, asked us to move. We were first taken to a MCD school but later brought here. It is becoming very difficult for us to get medicines for our children here," he told the correspondent.

The quarantine facility located at Chhatarpur is a Radha Swami Sanshthan used for satsang. The huge

farm house is at the moment hosting more than 250 people, where migrant workers, beggars and AIIMS patients are included.

Vivek, who belongs to Uttar Pradesh is 5-year-old and is getting his treatment at AIIMS. "When the police came to move us we left all our clothes and medicines at the subway, and now we have nothing. We don't even have clean clothes with us," his mother said. Vivek has a tumour in his stomach and has been getting his treatment done in the hospital for the past one year.

Many patients seemed angry with the shift saying that they are being denied to go to the hospital as well. "Only serious patients are being taken to AIIMS. What about us? Shall we die here? There are no medicines, how are we supposed to survive," said a patient who was admitted at AIIMS for a surgery.

The officials told the correspondent that a bus regularly take patients to AIIMS for check-up. When asked as to why medicines were not provided to patients, the official said, "These medicines are expensive and come from outside. We have sent the list to the concerned people and they will get the medicines till evening," said the official.

However, the patients expressed their grievances saying that it has been four days and no medicines have reached them. "I need my medicines because I am in pain. I had a surgery and I won't be able to eat if I don't get medicines," said a woman.

Most of the patients are children and are serious cases. "We had to wait here for my daughter's tumour is pretty bad, which is why we had to stay at the subway. After the lockdown we are going to continue to stay

here to get our daughter checked," said Dashant, who works as a daily wage worker in Uttar Pradesh.

Although the quarantine facility is trying to provide with all amount of adequate facilities, the patients need more attention to get by. Sources from Delhi government said that the officials have been ordered to take the matter seriously, however with the increase in the number of people at the facility, it is getting difficult.