Hyderabad: Sanaullah Khan is 60 years old and his spouse Malen Begum, 50. They are among the brave survivors of the pandemic. The couple is the resident of Afzal Sagar Nagar, Nampally and had no travel history.
The journey against the battle had begun when Sanaullah was tested positive for COVID-19 in Osmania General Hospital. Sanaullah had gone there after he experienced difficulty in respiration. He was then tested for COVID.
“I went to Osmania Hospital on April 13. I was facing difficulty with breathing. After getting examined by the doctors in an Emergency Ward I was sent to room No: 106 where a number of patients were waiting to undergo COVID-19 examination,” said Sanaullah.
“The conditions at Osmania were pathetic. I and my wife were there in Osmania for four days as the process takes at least three days. There was no seating arrangements for patients. The ward was dirty and it looked as if it had not been cleaned for several days. There were no sanitation facilities. No doctor was there to speak with us and tell us what problem we were suffering with. I was wondering how a hospital could be run like this, that too in a pandemic situation,” said Sanaullah.
The husband and wife were tested positive for COVID-19. They were sent to Gandhi Hospital for further treatment.
“I reached Gandhi on April 16th and was shifted to the ward on the 5th floor which had 13 positive patients. Though the virus has no treatment the doctors and the management at Gandhi were on toes and providing with every possible assistance to ease the tension of the patients. The conditions at Gandhi were completely opposite to that of Osmania. We stayed at Gandhi for more than 15 days and were treated with a lot of patience and empathy by the medical and other staff of the hospital,” said the couple.
“We were given our gadgets and good nutritious food. The sanitation facilities were good. Moreover, I being a blood pressure (BP) patient was given my BP medicine on time and was also monitored for it,” said Sanauallah.
“It was heartwarming to see how doctors are struggling to save the COVID patients and how despite risking their own lives they had been constantly smiling and keeping us in spirits,” Sanaullah added.
The couple asked people in Hyderabad and elsewhere to take as much precaution as possible to avoid contacting the dangerous disease,” Sanaullah and Malen Begum said.
Nihad Amani