Doctors' strike: 10 die for want of treatment across Karnataka

Bengaluru: Close to ten deaths were reported for want of timely treatment, across the state on Friday.  A 22-year-old newly married youth died of fever in Gajendragad town of Gadag district on Friday. 

The deceased, Ravi Bhajanthri, who got married only last week, had approached the government hospital after visiting several private hospitals where he was denied treatment. 

The doctors at the government hospital in the town had referred him to the district hospital as his health condition deteriorated. But there was a delay in getting an ambulance, and he breathed his last while being shifted to the district hospital. 

A one-year-old baby girl, Boravva Sunagar, from Kwanur village of Jamkhandi taluk, died of fever. Her parents took her to several private hospitals, but she was not treated. She was shifted to the Bagalkot Government Hospital, but she was not admitted as all the 50 beds at the health facility had been taken.  A 35-year-old woman, Vidya Kalyanshetti, of Bagalkot, died because of heart-related diseases. She was forced to get discharged from a private hospital, where she was being treated, after the doctors went on strike. She had got herself admitted to Kumareshwar Hospital in the town where she died.  A 57-year-old woman, Ashabi Ladkhan, from Mugalkhod village of Mudhol taluk, died of complications related to high blood pressure. She was rushed to Bagalkot District Hospital after failing to get treated at private hospitals. Her family complained that she could have been saved if she had received treatment on time. Four deaths, including that of a woman who delivered a baby a couple of days ago, were reported from Yadgir district, reportedly for want of medical treatment.  Ramu (52) of Hosalli Thanda in Yadgir  taluk, Bibi Fathima (50) of Kadamgera village and Shivaraya (60) of Gaddesugur village, both in Shahpur taluk, and Habeeba (32) from Kembavi village in Surpur taluk lost their lives as they were not treated on time.  Of the four, Ramu and Shivaraya died at Yadgir District Hospital, where they were admitted for a respiratory problem.  Habeeba Begum, who was suffering from jaundice, had delivered at the Kalaburagi District Civil Hospital a couple of days ago. But the child died after  delivery. Habeeba, who had gone back to her hometown, had to be rushed to Shahpur for treatment. But as doctors were on strike, she did not get treatment. As her condition started deteriorating, she was being taken to the community health centre at Kembavi where she died.

Also, Mohammed Pyaru (57), who complained of chest pain, was taken from one private hospital to another, but was denied treatment. 

A beedi contractor from Tumakuru, he died while being shifted to Jayadeva Hospital in Bengaluru.