‘Struggling for funds’, says family of Indian-origin woman who became first foreigner to contract Coronavirus in China

The family of an Indian-origin lady currently undergoing treatment for a Streptococcal infection in China is struggling to meet the expenses being incurred for her treatment. The woman, identified as Preeti Maheshwari (45), works as a teacher at an international school in Shenzhen and is the first foreigner to contract the deadly virus in China.

According to her husband Ashuman Khowal, Preeti is being treated for Streptococcal infection at a hospital in Shenzhen. Her family has now launched a fundraising drive to meet the medical expenses. Speaking to Financial Express Online, her brother Manish Thapa said that they have reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs for help but are yet to receive a response.

“We have tweeted to the EAM and we haven’t heard anything from the EAM. We have not received any support from the Indian government or the Chinese government,” Manish said.

Manish said that Preeti has been living in China with her husband for the last 17 years. The challenge in China, he explained, is that the Chinese government doesn’t give citizenship by birth or residency. “Neither she (Preeti), nor her husband, her kids are Chinese citizens. Therefore, they don’t have access to the public healthcare. Her medical cost is high and there is no financial support available from the government or any official channel in India and China,” he said.

Manish said he has set up a fundraising page in India because he cannot do so in China since his sister is not a Chinese national. While Preeti is an Arts teacher at QSI, her husband is a trader.

“My sister is on life support for all vital organs. Her medical cost is very high, lakhs per day. Her road to recovery is very slow she is on life support for more than 10 days. Doctors have not committed anything regarding her recovery, but it could be anywhere between 30 to days 60 days,” he said.

“The medical cost will run into One crore Indian currency. I opened the page four days back and generated Rs 15 lakh in four days,” Manish said. Preeti is a native of Delhi and moved to China after marriage 17 years ago.

Chinese city of Wuhan is currently under the grip of a new mysterious viral pneumonia. According to the official media reports, tentative diagnosis of the pneumonia is caused by a coronavirus. The virus has caused alarm because of its connection to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) which killed nearly 650 people in China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

Last week, the Indian government issued an advisory to its nationals visiting China following a second death due to the outbreak. Over 500 Indian students study in Wuhan city’s medical colleges and universities.

Source: Financial Express