Doctors and staff on COVID-19 duty were assaulted following the death of a patient at K.R. Hospital in Mysuru on Thursday triggering tension on the premises.
The patient was wheeled in two days ago to the old Jayadeva Hospital building, which is one of the COVID-19 triage centres and is located on the K.R. Hospital premises. “The condition of the patient, who had tested positive for COVID-19, was explained to the family at the time of admission. Despite attention and care, the patient passed away on Thursday evening following which the doctors and staff on duty were roughed up and assaulted,” according to S.S. Abhishek, president, Resident Doctors’ Association.
He told The Hindu over phone that the incident has demoralised the medical fraternity who are attending to a national emergency and yet there was nobody to safeguard them. “We put ourselves at risk and are under tremendous pressure working almost 24x7 and yet, we come under attack,” Dr. Abhishek added.
C.P. Nanjaraj, director, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, said he informed Commissioner of Police Chandragupta about the incident and sought additional security.
Consequent to the developments, the police assured to step up security and also erect a barrier to prevent entry of unauthorised persons. One of the doctors at the triage centre said the hospital authorities were lax as there was only one lady deployed for security. The RMA members gave a written complaint about the incident and the police have assured to initiate action.
This is the second such incident at K.R. Hospital in recent times, which has raised apprehension among the working doctors who have sought additional security.
