Karnataka has lost many doctors who were in the forefront of COVID-19 battle since last year. The numbers, however, are relatively fewer in the second wave, thanks to early vaccination.
A compilation of doctors' deaths, put together by Indian Medical Association, Karnataka chapter, puts it at 63 till April 18, 2021. But there have been reports of doctors' deaths hence too.
Districts like Mysuru and Chamarajanagar have in recent weeks lost doctors who were heading COVID-19 facilities.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Kollegal taluk sub-divisional hospital in Chamarajanagar district died in April and the Administrative Medical Officer (AMO) of Hullahalli Community Health Centre (CHC) in Nanjangud taluk of Mysuru district lost his battle to the virus this month.
The 59-year-old CMO, Dr G N Ganesh Kumar, who was in home isolation after contracting the infection and was later shifted to a hospital in Mysuru after he developed complications, did not respond to the treatment and breathed his last.
Dr Raghunath, who was in the early 50s and running the Hullahalli CHC since the last wave, died a few days ago. He was on ventilator support. He was initially treated in Nanjangud hospital and later moved to a private facility in Mysuru where he succumbed to the disease.
Dr Chidambar, Mysuru District Vector Borne Disease Control Officer, said, “The deaths of doctors are few this year when compared to the last wave since doctors and other healthcare workers are vaccinated."
Mysuru IMA President Dr Anand Ravi said there have been no reports of private practitioners succumbing to COVID-19 in the district but the number of doctors getting infected was more in this wave.
In North Karnataka, where the pandemic is spreading fast, too, has seen instances of doctors losing the battle to COVID, both young and old.
Dr Santosh Holkunde, a 42-year-old government doctor posted at Primary Health Centre (PHC) Bendebembali village in Yadgir district, was on COVID duty at a taluk hospital, when he contracted the infection and subsequently succumbed to it. Incidentally he had received both doses of the vaccine.
Vice Chancellor of BLDE Deemed to be University in Vijayapura, Dr Mallanagouda S Biradar (65), who had earned reputation as a doctor with humane touch and a teacher loved by his students, died of COVID related complications after being airlifted to a private hospital in Bengaluru. He had students spread across the world serving as medical professionals.
