Sixty-four-year-old was waiting in the heat outside a crowded Nalasopara health centre when he fell and hit his head
Harish Panchal wanted to get himself vaccinated first and take his wife to the PHC the next day. Pics/Hanif Patel
A 64-year-old man who had been waiting outside a COVID vaccination centre in the scorching heat in Nalasopara collapsed and died on Friday. Sources said the man, later identified as Harish Panchal, had walked up to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) near Patankar Park for a shot, but there was no proper arrangement for visitors to weather the rising temperatures.
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The primary health centre where Panchal was waiting for his vaccine turn
A source said, “Those who get vaccinated develop mild fever and Panchal did not want himself and his wife to get vaccinated on the same day, else there would be no one to take care of them if they fell sick simultaneously.”
Panchal told his wife that he would get vaccinated first and if it goes well, he would take her to the vaccination centre the next day, said the source.
The senior citizen reached the PHC before noon and stood outside in the queue under the blazing sun. “He collapsed and got his head injured. We took him inside and dressing was administered on his head as there was a minor wound which was bleeding,” said a staffer from the PHC.
“When the doctors checked his blood pressure, the reading was nil. Panchal was rushed to Tulinj hospital where was declared dead before admission,” said the source.
Babusingh Rajpurohit, a member of the transport committee in Nalasopara, said the PHC is congested. “These days people are visiting in large numbers for vaccination, but there is no arrangement. They have no other option but to stand in a long queue in the heat,” he said.
The PHC has little space to accommodate all those who are coming for vaccination
Rajpurohit said he had written to the civic chief to provide a 50ftx50ft tent, chairs, fans and drinking water to vaccine-seekers. “No social distancing is being followed at the PHC. The civic body overlooked my request and forced people including senior citizens to bake in the sun,” Rajpurohit added.
Sources at the PHC told mid-day health workers too had requested the civic body to make proper arrangements for the visitors. “The vaccination for people above 45 years started on March 5 and senior citizens have been asked to get vaccinated on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Panchal had come with his friend,” the source added.
Senior inspector of Nalasopara police station Vasant Labde said, “The elderly man was standing in a queue to get vaccinated and collapsed. He died on the spot before receiving the vaccine. An Accidental Death Report will be registered.” Panchal’s wife and relatives were too shocked to talk to the media.
“He was a known case of hypertension and obese too. He died of cardiac arrest while waiting outside the vaccination centre in Nalasopara,” said Dr. Surekha Walke, medical officer at Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation. The health official said the vaccination drive was recently started at the PHC and arrangements like shade and chairs are being made. “At present 100 people are being vaccinated each day at the PHC but soon we are going to increase the number,” she added.
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