MYSURU: Medical professionals in Mysuru continued to boycott medical services, except for emergency services, and remained off Covid duty, demanding the suspension of Mysuru Zilla Panchayat CEO Prashanth Kumar Mishra, who is accused of abetting the suicide of Nanjangud taluk health officer Dr Nagendra.
Though Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, bowing to pressure from the medical fraternity, announced Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia and ordered a Regional Commissioner-level inquiry, doctors and members of the medical association did not budge, and demanded immediate suspension of Mishra.
As the protest entered the second day, several doctors and healthcare workers from Mandya, Chamarajanagar and neighbouring districts too joined the protest as a mark of support, condemning the suicide of the Covid warrior, allegedly due to pressure.
The Covid War Room, which gathers, uploads and updates case details in the district, too remained closed after the staff did not turn up to work, as a mark of protest. While Covid-19 case details of all districts were announced in the daily bulletin, fresh cases, recoveries and deaths remained zero for Mysuru.
District minister S T Somashekhar along with MLAs S A Ramdas and L Nagendra paid a visit to the MMCRI mortuary where the body of the health officer was taken for a postmortem. Somashekhar told reporters, “The CM ordered an RC-level inquiry and asked for a report within seven days. If the family members of the deceased want the probe to be conducted by any other officer or police commissioner in the state, we are ready.
I request the doctors to inform us if they face any issues pertaining to work, we will sort out things.”
Meanwhile, members of the medical association and several doctors have threatened to intensify the protest and call a statewide protest if the government fails to suspend Mishra immediately.