Two COVID-19 patients at state-run Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, assaulted doctors following the death of their relative undergoing treatment in the same ward on Wednesday, 1 April.
Blaming resident doctors for the death, the deceased’s two family members attacked them. Four members of a family, including a female, had tested positive and all were being treated in the same ward.
One of them, who was in critical condition, died on Wednesday evening. Holding the doctors responsible for the death, his family members manhandled them.
The incident triggered tension on the 8th floor of the building housing the isolation ward. The hospital staff demanded security. The police personnel, who rushed there, could not intervene as they had no protective gear to enter the ward.
Later, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar rushed to the hospital and defused the situation by promising action against the accused. He reviewed the security arrangements and decided to upgrade them.
The Commissioner said on a complaint by the doctors, a case was being registered against those who misbehaved with hospital staff. He warned that anyone who misbehaves or assaults doctors and hospital staff would face legal action.
Health Minister Etala Rajender condemned the attack on the doctor. He said such incidents would not be tolerated and assured the doctors and other hospital staff that action would be taken against the guilty.
“I strongly condemn the attack on doctors in Gandhi Hospital. In any case, we cannot forgive such actions. Doctors and medical personnel are risking their lives to save the lives of the people. We provide protection to every doctor,” he said in his tweet.
Meanwhile, condemning the attack on duty doctor, Director General of Police Mahender Reddy said strong action would be taken against the culprits immediately. "Any one indulging in such acts of Vandalism will not be spared under any circumstances," he said in a statement.
The police chief said the doctors and paramedics were working day and night treating coronavirus patients even at the risk of their own life. The police will beef up security immediately and take all necessary measures to provide protection to all the doctors and para medics treating the COVID-19 patients.
The doctors' association demanded filing case of case against the accused and deployment of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at the hospital. It demanded the Chief Minister to address the issue in 24 hours.
“Keeping in view of health emergency in the nation, we are not resorting to take drastic steps. We hope the government will address the issues before things get out of hands,” it said.
It was not clear if like the six others who died, this patient too had attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Delhi last month.
The state had reported the first death due to COVID-19 on 28 March. The 74-year-old died at a private hospital in Hyderabad on 26 March and it was only after his death a test revealed he was COVID-19 positive. He had attended the Delhi meet at Tablighi Markaz in Nizamuddin.
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