Jitendra Deshprabhu dies of pneumonia, eyebrows raised over his Covid negative test
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 21 April 2020 22:14 IST
Amidst Covid 19 crisis, Goa lost a firebrand politician and former MLA Jitendra Deshprabhu, also a landlord from Pedne. His cousin Dr Vasudev Deshprabhu strongly feels he is a Covid victim. But GMC has tested him Covid negative.
Deshprabhu, 62, died of bilateral pneumonia. After being hospitalised in Redkar hospital at Dhargal, he was rushed to GMC today afternoon.
Bilateral pneumonia is primarily infection of both the lungs.
TESTED COVID NEGATIVE: GMC
“He was tested negative for Covid 19”, GMC Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar told goanews.com.
According to him, Deshprabhu was brought to the hospital with acute respiratory problem and was immediately put on a ventilator.
“He revived once but then collapsed once again”, said Dr Bandekar.
The GMC, according to him, immediately conducted rapid Covid test, which came negative.
RAPID TEST KITS BANNED
Incidentally, today itself, the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) ordered all the states not to use China-brought rapid testing kits.
Raghu Sharma, health minister of Rajasthan, was quoted by India Today that the kits gave only 5.4% accurate results against the expectation of 90% accuracy and therefore the kits were of no benefit.
India has procured five lakh rapid antibody testing kits from China last week and distributed to all the states.
CERTAINLY A COVID DEATH: DR DESHPRABHU
Meanwhile, his cousin and former Pedne municipal chairperson Dr Vasudev Deshprabhu, who is now with the BJP, told goanews.com that there is no reason to believe that he was not Covid positive.
According to Dr Vasudev, Jitendra had driven to Mumbai last week to pick up his daughter and was neither tested nor home quarantined after return.
“He was perfectly alright and was roaming, except that he was a chain smoker. But that does not lead to pneumonia within 24 hours”, said a doctor in medicine.
“How can the GMC authorities certify him Covid negative with rapid testing while these kits are now banned”, he asked.
CONGRESS QUESTIONS GMC COMPETENCE
Meanwhile, while paying him tribute, GPCC President Girish Chodankar has also raised a pertinent question through his tweet. The tweet stated:
“Shocked and annoyed over a fact that GMC has to struggle to save non-Covid pneumonia patient. Are we really prepared to save Covid-related pneumonia cases?”
Incidentally, this is a third death in GMC due to acute respiratory problem or pneumonia since the Covid episode began. Out of these three, two died in the Covid isolation wards.
But according to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, both were tested Covid negative.
Information gathered by goanews.com revealed that Deshprabhu died in the casualty ward.
The lady who died at Covid isolation ward was 52-year old while second was the death of a 38-year old seafarer. Deshprabhu was 62.
Meanwhile, politicians across the party lines have expressed shock over Deshprabhu’s death, including Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, senior Congress leader Ramakant Khalap and many more.
Deshprabhu, survived by his wife Rupa, an elder daughter and nine-year old son, was elected the Pedne MLA twice. He was a graduate in agriculture.
If Congress or the family suspected negligence, etc. than they should have ordered a postmortem to reveal the exact reasons of his death. Girish Chodankar apparently has a knack to pull out stuff from his ass and has penchant for 'vaifal prasiddhi' AKA cheap publicity.
Shocking. Enquiry has to be conducted of the death of our Mr. J. Deshprabu. It's a great loss for Goa. Please don't play with the life of the people.
My deepest condolences go out to his entire family especially his wife and children. Jitu was a close family friend and we were great colleagues from Poona university though he was in the College of Agriculture & I was in Fergusson College. A very well poised & charismatic gentleman and had a great sense of humour.
Jitu - GOA & PERNEM WILL MISS YOU !!!
May your soul rest in peace , Dear Friend Jitu.
God bless his entire family
No need for investigation ..No need to spend time and money on the Hone soul ...The full family and people who have come in contact should be quarantine immediately ...Not home quarantine but in govt quarantine facility ...