Haryana Doctor Arrested for Breaking COVID Protocols, IMA sees red
Kurukshetra: In violation of Covid-19 protocol, a doctor and owner of a private hospital in Kurukshetra who had tested positive for coronavirus a few days ago was arrested on Sunday for allegedly barging into the Deputy Commissioner's camp office along with the relatives of his patients demanding immediate action to resolve the issue of oxygen shortage at his hospital.
The doctor, whose facility has been admitting COVID patients, was arrested after a case was registered against him under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster Management Act, 2005 for breaking Covid-19 protocols, reports PTI.
However, the wife of the doctor alleged that the doctor was intentionally targeted as they had filed a case at the High Court for recovery of over Rs 2.50 crore pending against the state government.
Meanwhile, Indian Medical Association (IMA) unit in Kurukshetra condemned the action by police against the doctor and demanded that authorities should drop all the charges against him within the next 24 hours. They further threatened to begin an agitation if the charges against the doctor were not dropped.
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According to SHO, Kurukshetra, Davinder Walia, the arrest was made based on a complaint filed by Amrik Singh, personal assistant to the deputy commissioner of Kurukshetra, on April 27.
In his complaint, Singh had alleged that the doctor, who had tested COVID-19 positive a few days ago, had come to the DC's camp office along with 25 to 30 relatives of some COVID patients under treatment at his hospital.
The complainant had alleged that the doctor forcibly entered the camp office by pushing the policeman on duty around 8.30 pm.
Police said the group created a ruckus over alleged lack of oxygen at the doctor's hospital while the district administration claimed that an inquiry by the Chief Medical Officer found that oxygen was sufficient.
The doctor allegedly raised a hue and cry that his hospital, which is handling 80 COVID patients, is left with oxygen for just about an hour.
Speaking to the Times of India, DC's personal assistant Amrik Singh said, "Around 8.30 pm on April 27, the doctor and 25-30 attendants of his patients created a ruckus that oxygen was running out."
However, an inquiry by the Chief Medical Officer found that oxygen was sufficient till 4 am the next day.
As a result, the doctor not only endangered the life of others having tested COVID-19 positive but also created unnecessary panic among the patients and their relatives, the complainant has alleged.
The Kurukshetra unit of IMA, however, condemned the action taken against the doctor. While commenting on the matter Dr Subhash Garg of the Kurukshetra IMA told TOI, "We serve people risking our lives, this vindictive action lowers our morale."
On the other hand, the doctor's wife, who is a director of the hospital alleged that the administration had acted in a biased manner towards them as they had filed a case of recovery of over Rs 2.50 crore pending against the state government in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
She said the sum was incurred for the treatment of COVID patients sent by the government to their hospital in the first phase of the pandemic last year.
She further added that the oxygen tanker purchased by the hospital from their vendor was allegedly detained by the police in Karnal on April 27 for over 10 hours forcing the doctor to go personally to the DC's camp office when his telephone calls did not bear any effect, and the lives of the patients were endangered.
She alleged that later, the district administration fixed a daily medical oxygen quota of only one tonne per day against the requirement of four tonnes, which they were regularly getting from their private vendor earlier.
In the meanwhile, the doctor tested negative fo the virus. He was released on bail after being produced before a duty magistrate.
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