SHILLONG, Dec 17: The wife and family members of late Toniak Marbaniang, who was suffering from dementia, hailing from Nongrim Road Laitumkhrah, were appalled to see the medical report of the deceased, who has been housebound for years now. Toniak’s reports showed that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
On December 15, when the deceased breathed his last, the Shnong was informed, following which two health workers arrived at the residence and conducted some tests after which they declared that he had tested COVID positive.
The health workers did not identify themselves nor did they brief the family members whether they too should go for testing or even isolate themselves.
In fact, the earlier medical report sent to the media showed that the deceased was suffering from a range of illnesses. The report was, however, later corrected. But what surprised the wife of the deceased, Anita Synnah, is how her husband,
) who died in his sleep and showed no symptoms of the virus, could be declared COVID positive after conducting a test which did not take even five minutes to reveal the result.
Later, when the family members complained, they learnt that DHS (MI) Dr Aman War was in Garo Hills and the medical report given was of someone from his office.
“We are now in a quandary as we do not know whether to be tested for COVID or not. The duty of the health workers is to instruct us on the protocols but we were left wondering what to do,” Synnah said.
When contacted, Dr Aman War said that initially there was a typing mistake while mentioning the cause of the death of Toniak Marbaniang, adding that later it was clarified. “The cause of the death of Toniak Marbaniang is unknown”, War said.
On the other hand, additional DM&HO said that the patient was housebound but other members of the family may have gone out for some work and got exposed to the virus resulting in a possible breach of protocol which led to him being infected.
She also suggested that another reason could have been that the immune system of the deceased was not strong and he was infected. Also, he was susceptible to the virus being an elderly person, she added.
