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Octogenarian gives up hospital bed for younger patient, later dies at home

By The Assam Tribune
Octogenarian gives up hospital bed for younger patient, later dies at home
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Nagpur, April 29: An 85-year-old man in India who selflessly abandoned his hospital bed to make way for a younger patient has passed away from the coronavirus at home, said reports.

Narayan Dabhalkar, a retired statistician, walked out of the casualty ward of the Indira Gandhi Rughnalaya (IGR) government hospital in Nagpur, Maharashtra, against the advice of doctors – and despite his blood oxygen levels falling – after he witnessed a woman pleading with staff to admit her 40-year-old husband to the crowded medical facility.

"I am 85," Mr Dabhalkar reportedly told staff. "I have lived my life. Saving the life of a young man is more important. Their children are young… please give my bed to them."

Discharged and collected by his daughter Aasawari Kothiwan, he died three days later at home.

"Our entire family is down with Covid," the latter explained in a post that went viral on social media. "On April 16, we got his samples tested and the results came on April 19. The treatment continued at home. We rushed him to IGR when his oxygen levels dipped on April 22. We got a bed after great effort but he was back home in a couple of hours. Even doctors said that he was in a critical state.

"My father said he would prefer to spend his last moments with us. He also told us about a young patient: 'I have already lived my life and would rather leave it to fate instead of blocking a bed for two-three days at the cost of a younger patient."

"The last moments were painful. His nails turned black and limbs had become numb. He died after having a few morsels from my hand."

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