Doctors and nurses at the civic-run YCM hospital in Pimpri-Chinchwad, a dedicated Covid hospital, faced the wrath of relatives after the death of two patients early Sunday morning. In one incident, the doctors locked themselves in a room to escape the mob. The YCMH administration has decided to file an FIR.

The first incident happened around 1.30 am when a patient succumbed to coronavirus. Minutes later, 10-14 relatives barged into the fifth-floor ward (503) in an attempt to attack the doctors and nurses. As they hurled abuses, the doctors on duty locked themselves in a separate room. Three were male doctors while one was a female doctor. The nurses also hid in other rooms. “The doctors must have locked themselves for 15-20 minutes. Other patients and security tried to pacify the mob. They left after that. They clearly threatened to harm the medical staff,” said Dr Rajendra Wable, dean of YCM Hospital and Medical.

“The 50-year-old patient was brought in on Saturday afternoon and was already in a critical condition. We had kept the relatives updated about his condition. In less than two hours, we conducted Covid test on him, which came positive. But when the patient died around 1.30 am and we informed the relatives, in no time they barged into the hospital and created ruckus,” he said.

Dr Aniruddha Kakde, among doctors who treated the patient, said, “The patient was breathless and in bad condition. He required ICU but no bed was available. We put him in general ward and provided high flow oxygen. The patient’s saturation level hovered between 78 and 80 per cent, much below the 94 per cent level. We had informed his relatives. We also gave life-saving drug but the patient died of acute respiratory failure. After that, the patient’s relatives barged in, abused and threatened us. We hid in the doctors’ room. There were four doctors, one nurse and a ward boy. We locked ourselves for 20-25 minutes till security staff and police came,” he said. The relatives, said Dr Kakde, had come in contact with Covid patients.

Dr Aniket Lathi, who was on duty in the afternoon at the hospital, said the second incident happened around 4 pm when another mob threatened to beat up the medical staff in ward no 501, also on the fifth floor. “A 75-year-old patient was brought in barely one-two hours before succumbing. The patient was brought in from a private hospital in an extremely critical condition. This is happening every day. Patients are brought in from private hospitals only when they are in a critical condition. Before we can actually give them proper treatment, they succumb,” he said.

Dr Wable said the hospital administration has decided to file an FIR. “I have instructed my staff to file a police complaint. My team of doctors and nurses are doing a good job in trying to save the lives of patients. Targeting them in such a manner is highly condemnable,” he said.

The YCMH administration said they have asked the doctors to give in writing as to what actually happened. “After that we will file FIR late tonight or by tomorrow morning,” said Dr Wable.

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