'Notes From Zombieland': Comedian Prashasti Singh Reports A Chilling Account Of Helping Her Mother Recover From Covid In A Hospital

Comedian Prashasti Singh shared a chilling account about the crumbling medical system in the country as the Covid-19 cases pile on in the country. She painted a grim picture of what that situation is like in Lucknow where her mother tested positive for novel coronavirus and she had to fight to her bed in a hospital and thereafter fight everyday to get an oxygen cylinder.

Parashasti who flew down to Lucknow to take care of her mother after she tested positive last weekend revealed how hospitals are short-staffed to manage so many Covid-19 patients. In a long note shred on Instagram from the hospital the Comicstaan fame comedian wrote, “Mother had to be admitted wednesday night for low oxygen levels. Her doctor told us 'Hospital mein bed milna bahut mushkil hai, par dekh lo, otherwise inka keh nahi sakte'. The doctor used to be a colleague of my late father. She is not indifferent. She is just tired.”

“Pulled all strings. Found space in one hospital. Reached and realized can't leave her there alone. Hospital is severely under-equipped to handle so many patients. No one can survive this system without a member of their family volunteering to embrace covid with them,” she added.

Talking about the acute shortage of oxygen cylinders she writes: “We came here for oxygen. Oxygen is not available. First 12 hours I run around to find 1 oxygen cylinder. Next 12 I call everyone in the management and scream. A boy finally walked upto me and said 'Didi phone milaane se kya hoga.. ward boys ko sabko 100-50 rupiya pakdaiye our cylinder aae to betaal jaise uspe latak jaiye.'”

“Shortage becomes more severe by Friday night. These new friends couldn't help. You have to continuously run around, shout, plead and fight the entire night to ensure oxygen supply for your patient. Between arguements I wonder if someone needs oxygen more critically than we do, and then quickly snap back. You are responsible for one life right now. Can't afford to care about more,” she explained further.

Prashasti concluded her somber note sharing that her mother is recovering slowly in the hospital while reporting the bleak scenes of the place that greet her everyday, “The night is going to be long. I have to stay up and arrange one more cylinder. Walked past an old lady trying to figure out how to get oxygen for her husband. How will she grab and run? She will figure something out maybe. Someone in the ward next to me is howling. I am trying to distract myself with instagram.”