Devika Kir, MD

In the early hours in Bengaluru, 34-year-old Venkataraman woke with severe chest pain, prompting his wife Roopa to rush him on a scooter to a nearby private hospital. They were allegedly turned away as no doctor was available. She took him to another private hospital where an ECG confirmed a heart attack, yet no emergency treatment was given and no ambulance arranged; instead, they were advised to go to Jayadeva Hospital. With no alternative, Roopa again set off on the scooter. En route, Venkataraman suffered intense pain, the scooter lost balance, and both fell. Despite being injured herself, Roopa pleaded with passing motorists for help, but most ignored her as her husband lay gasping for breath. By the time he was taken to a hospital, he had lost consciousness and was declared brought dead. Systemic failure and public indifference did not kill the humanity within Roopa, and she donated her husband’s eyes, later saying that timely medical care, or even basic help from passersby, could have saved his life. Venkataraman and Roopa were ordinary, law-abiding citizens who must have paid taxes on time, yet when a time-critical emergency struck, they had no immediate care. Heart attacks are among the most common causes of sudden death in India, yet timely intervention remains a matter of luck. Why can’t the govt establish small coronary care units every 4–5 km, equipped with ECGs, defibrillators, oxygen, and essential drugs? These units wouldn’t need full-time doctors, trained paramedical staff, supported by protocols and telemedicine, could deliver lifesaving care in the crucial first minutes at modest cost and enormous impact.