A junior doctor who attends COVID-19 patients at Gandhi Hospital had a bitter experience when committee members of the apartments she stays at tried not to allow her into the building two days ago. Dr Snigdha said that over 10 committee members who ganged up used filthy language during argument over the issue.
A third-year post-graduate student in Orthopaedics course, Dr Snigdha has been attending duties in isolation wards of the hospital for the past three weeks. She used to stay at a hostel on the hospital campus. Her husband who stays in Bengaluru also attends COVID-19 patients.
However, she started to stay at her brother’s own flat in Mansoorabad from the past one month. The apartment’s committee members apparently informed her bother that she cannot stay in the apartment as she attends COVID-19 patients.
"When my brother, sister-in-law and I returned to the apartment on April 22 afternoon, around 10 to 15 committee members stopped us at the gate, made us stand and did not allow me in. They said ‘you are working for government and not for us’ and asked me not to stay in the flat. I went into the flat after police intervened," Dr Snigdha said.
She lodged a complaint with Vanasthalipuram police who said the committee members did not have any right to stop her when the flat owner did not have any objection. The police said they would register a case after receiving her complaint.
She along with Telangana Resident Doctors Association (RDA) and Telangana Junior Doctors Association took the issue to notice of Health Minister Eatala Rajender.
RDA president G Srinivas said if a doctor working in front line stays at a place, he/she will spread awareness about the infectious disease. "Doctors use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), N95 masks, which are disposed after coming out of isolation wards. People should support doctors who work in front line," Dr Srinivas said.
Same experience
More than 10 sanitation workers who are facing the same issue are hoping they too will be allowed to go to their home. It was published in these columns that the 10 sanitation workers who reside in Chengicherla were chased away by their neighbours for working in COVID-19 isolation wards. Holding sticks and brooms, they asked them to either quit working at the hospital or stay away from the locality.
They have been staying at Swami Shivananda shelter home on the hospital campus for the past 22 days. "Even to this day, they threatened to attack if we go back to our home. It is a problem to stay away from children," said D Yellamma, who works as a sweeper.
