AMU doctor suspended for 'negligence' as COVID-19 patient dies

The Aligarh District Administration suspended a doctor at AMU's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College for allegedly hiding the information of the death of a COVID-19 positive patient. It is the first death due to the novel coronavirus disease in the district.

Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh):The Aligarh District Administration on Tuesday suspended a doctor at Aligarh Muslim University's (AMU) Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College for alleged medical negligence, following the first death due to the novel coronavirus disease in the district.

The deceased identified as Merajuddin was a 55-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital on Sunday evening with breathing problems. First, he was shifted to the isolation ward on April 19 and then placed on a ventilator. The medical college did not inform the district administration and Merajuddin was tested positive for the disease the next day.

Speaking about the case, Aligarh District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan said that the district health department alleged that the hospital authorities did not inform about the case on time, and the delay could lead to the exposure of several people.

Moreover, two coronavirus positive cases were also detected in the district on Tuesday.

"We summoned the doctor as he hid the patient's information from us. On the advice of a nursing home, Merajuddin even went to get an x-ray in another nursing home. Strict action is being taken against both nursing homes. Moreover, the AMU professor Dr Anjum Chugtai has been suspended for not adhering the COVID-19 protocol," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Arvind Kumar, Aligarh SSP crime, said that a case has also been filed against Merajuddin's family, for the lockdown violation under the Epidemic Act.

At present, all family members of Merajuddin has been kept under quarantine as a precautionary measure against COVID-19 and their samples will be collected and send for virus testing, Kumar said.

(ANI report)