“Cremate him Now,”when doctors told swine flu victim’s relatives

When a doctor declared swine flu patient Pravin Patel’s death in Ahmedabad’s Civil hospital at 1:15 am on Sunday, the relatives of late NRI Gujarati, the first victim of swine flu in Gujarat urged the doctor to allow them to keep Pravinbhai’s dead body in Civil hospital’s cold-room for two days, so that they could cremate him later in presence of victim’s relatives coming from America, including an old mother, mother-in-law and brother.

However the doctors and state health officials turned down the request and said, the victim had swine flu and his body couldn’t be kept in the cold-room at any cost as it would be a dangerous and unnecessary step. The doctors directed the relatives to immediately take the body to the nearest cremation facility available and cremate the body in electric furnace. Doctors also advised victim’s relatives not to take the body to their home and not to wait till the morning to start cremation procedure.

Relatives of the victim followed this advice and took the body of Pravinbhai directly to the cremation ground to cremate it immediately in dark hours of early Sunday morning.

It is learnt that Pravinbhai’s relatives in Atlanta later canceled their visit to Ahmedabad, as cremation had already ended.

It should be noted that swine flu victim, 43-year-old Pravinbhai was American citizen migrated from Gujarat in India and settled in Atlanta for last more than two decades. He was a store owner, having two daughters and a son. Pravinbhai’s father Gandalal Bhaktidas passed away recently. Pravinbhai’s mother lives in America. Pravinbhai has two brothers, one Shailesh is in America while other Dashrath is in Ahmedabad. Pravinbhai had came to Darshrath’s place in Ahmedabad from America on July 31st. Pravinbhai’s wife Nayanaben is also H1N1 infected and under treatment in Ahmedabad’s Civil hospital.