Doctor Rao had made allegations expressing concern over the safety of doctors treating COVID-19 suspects at Narsipatnam hospital.
A day after refuting the allegations made by an anaesthetist of Narsipatnam Area Hospital, doctor Sudhakar Rao, over the shortage of masks, personal protective equipment (PPEs) in the hospitals, the Health Department reportedly suspended him on Wednesday.
He was suspended after a video, where he had alleged a shortage of protective gear for medical workers, went viral.
In the video, Dr Sudhakar Rao requested Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to intervene.
However, the government has suspended the doctor instead.
However, the suspension has become a completely political issue with the YSRCP alleging that the doctor was ‘in cahoots’ with the TDP to create tension, while the TDP, in turn, has claimed that the doctor was the only one speaking the ‘truth’.
This triggered a stiff between TDP National President and former CM Chandrababu Naidu hitting out at YS Jaganmohan Reddy government.
In the video, Dr Sudhakar Rao, an anaesthetist with 20 years of experience, spoke about how doctors were asked to use one N-95 mask for 15 days. “We will die. Why won’t there be positive cases (among medical staff)? They are not giving minimum importance to the medical department,” he said.
“There are no masks and no facilities. This is an area hospital. There are people who come from tribal areas here. There is not one MLA or Minister who has visited and cares for the health of people here,” he added.
Watch the video here:
A Must see Video
Dr. Sudhakar Rao tells horrific condition of PPE ( Personal Protection Equipment ) for docs in Andhra #CoronaVirus
One N95 mask has been given to use for 15 days@ysjagan please provide medical supplies to the frontline doctors nurses to protect them pic.twitter.com/ijmXwsjKLM
— Telugu360 (@Telugu360) April 6, 2020
In the video, Dr Sudhakar also praises Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and says that he has been giving first preference to doctors in the neighbouring state.
Also Read: Lockdown Likely To Be Extended, Prime Minister Modi Suggests At All-Party Meeting
“Meanwhile, here, a policeman is asking us to get lost. There is no respect for doctors. I have spoken about my pain in the operation theatre in a video. I will forward it to everyone. It should reach the Chief Minister,” he says in the video.
In a tweet, former CM Chandrababu Naidu condemned the suspension.
Dr. Sudhakar opened up about the lack of masks and gloves at Narsipatnam Govt Hospital which is the minimum responsibility of AP Govt. Instead of addressing the issue, the doctor was suspended. His only crime was to demand for an N-95 mask. This is utterly shocking. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/v9rmEtZed8
— N Chandrababu Naidu #StayHomeSaveLives (@ncbn) April 8, 2020
More than 3,400 tweets with a hashtag #westandwithDrSudhakar were posted on Twitter. A number of messages were shared in WhatsApp groups against the action.
(Inputs from The News Minute)
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
