Dr. Pradip Bijalwan lost his life due to lack of oxygen in hospital. The 60 years-old had tested positive for Covid-19 but was not admitted to any hospital as he did not get a hospital bed. In such a situation he tried treating himself at home and died after lack of oxygen damaged his lungs.

Dr. Bijalwan had been working with the homeless people in Delhi for a long time. Even during the Covid pandemic he treated the patients selflessly. He also collaborated with IAS officer and human rights activist Harsh Mander in a street medicine programme for about 10 years. Harsh Mander talking to a website said “He kept a low profile and wanted to serve the most needy — a typical comrade guy who was very old fashioned. Street medicine is a tough job, you have to work at night, make rounds of pavements, homeless clusters, but he was willing to spend evening after evening among the poorest. People like him have sadly become very rare.” Harsh Mander said Dr. Bijalwan was offering assistance in Covid clinics under the street programme at Geeta Ghat as well as at Meena Bazar near Jama Masjid. He was also actively assisting with tuberculosis. Futher he said Bijalwan took care of the health of around 100 homeless people. He also said that it was possible that Dr. Bijalwan was infected with the virus while working. “

Mander also said Dr Bijalwan’s death could be prevented if a bed was available. He told the national daily, “These are completely preventable deaths. There was time for a full year but hospitals are still without beds, it’s such a crisis.”

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