Tamil Nadu Neurosurgeon dies of COVID-19, TNGDA condemns locals protesting his burial
"Is this the reward for our selfless commitment for the fight against the deadly SARS-COV2 virus?" questioned Dr K Senthil,;

Chennai: Coronavirus has claimed the life of yet another doctor from the state of Tamil Nadu and once again outrage was witnessed from the locals over the cremation of the dead body. Recently, a 55-year-old neurosurgeon, Dr Simon Hercules had succumbed to COVID-19 at a private hospital in Chennai. According to recent media reports, the neurosurgeon was also the chief doctor and director at a private hospital in the city. He got infected with the virus when he unsuspectedly treated at a patient.
The doctor was critical for the past few days and was put on ventilator support and died due to the viral disease. When his body was taken to a crematorium, the locals there held a protest against the funeral fearing the spread of the virus. They also attacked the ambulance and healthcare officials. Later police arrived at the scene and the doctor's body was buried.
This opposition from the locals to the final rites of the doctors who died due to COVID-19 has shocked the medical community. Subsequently, the Tamil Nadu Govt Doctors Association (TNGDA) and Indian Medical Association (IMA) have come forward showing resentment.
Sharma also blamed the government for not giving proper attention to the issues faced by the doctors amid the pandemic situation. According to both the associations, government doctors are risking their own lives with the available poor quality and inadequate protective gears in treating the patients.
TNGDA has demanded supply of proper specified protective gears immediately to all HCPs doing COVID duties. "All HCPs should be provided suitable isolated individual accommodation and supply of food and adequate quarantine to reduce the risk of spread during incubation/ asymptomatic period and to reduce the viral load," Dr Senthil stated.
"The doctors are rendering services at extreme risk to themselves. No nation sends its army to war without weapons. Doctors, nurses and healthcare workers of this country have been sent to fight against COVID-19 without PPE kits and they are dying young defending their people. If the value of such services is not realised, the easiest thing for the doctor community will be to sit at home. The bigger sufferers will be the community," stated the IMA.
IMA Secretary General R.V. Asokan said, "While all other interventions have already been withdrawn, it is very unfortunate if more services are going to be withheld for non-medical reasons. The state governments concerned are better warned to perform their constitutional duties as expected. Failing which IMA has no option but to resort to drastic steps to protect the rights of the medical professionals. Appropriate retaliatory measures will be decided if the constitutional machinery breaks down."
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu police have arrested 20 persons for attacking an ambulance and also for protesting against the funeral of a doctor.
With the death of the neurosurgeon, the total fatalities in Tamil Nadu has risen to 16. The doctor's daughter had also contracted the virus but is now reported to be stable.
The death of the doctor comes days after the passing away of an orthopaedic surgeon (in Chennai) from Nellore district in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and the locals had observed a similar protest during the cremation of the deceased doctor.
Read Also: Unfortunate: AP Orthopaedic Surgeon succumbs to coronavirus, had operated on positive patient
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