Katihar DM visits Sadar hospital after attack on a Covid-19 patient

PATNA: Katihar DM Kanwal Tanuj and SP Vikas Kumar visited the Katihar sadar hospital on Tuesday to take stock of the situation after a Covid-19 patient was reportedly attacked by a cook and other staff of the mess for asking for food.
The Covid-19 patient was pelted with stones soon after he visited the kitchen of the mess and demanded food to be served to him immediately as he was feeling hungry.The victim suffered minor injuries on his head and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The top officials of the district swung into action after a video showing the Covid-19 patient being attacked by the cook and other employees of the mess went viral on social media today. The DM ordered the deputation of a special officer with immediate effect to monitor the situation at the hospital.
A senior officer posted in the DM’s office said that the entry of outsiders in the hospital has been completely banned in the wake of Tuesday’s incident. “No outsider except doctors, para-medical staff and patients will be allowed to stay in the hospital,” he said.
The officer revealed that it was also decided to declare the area close to the Sadar hospital as a containment zone as many employees of the hospital have also been tested positive for Covid-19. In addition, the DM issued instructions not to park vehicles of outsiders in the hospital premises.
The DM inspected the isolation ward for Covid-19 patients during his 45- minute stay. He issued instructions to improve the facilities for the patients admitted to the ward. “Nobody found to be lax in adhering to the Covid-19 guidelines will be spared,” the DM told the officials concerned.
Katihar civil surgeon Dr D K Pandey, sub-divisional officer Niraj Kumar and sub-divisional police officer Amarkant Jha were also present on the occasion. The DM earlier talked to some patients who had complained about irregular and sub-standard quality of food served to them.