In Pune, Private Doctors Closing Clinics Due to COVID-19 Fear

Pune: Several doctors running private clinics and hospitals in Pune district have reportedly stopped treating regular patients due to fear of getting infected with the deadly COVID-19 virus, leaving hundreds of non-coronavirus patients in need of treatment to fend for themselves.

The Maharashtra Health Minister as well as the Chief Minister have requested these doctors not to close their clinics, yet patients are having to face a tough time searching for hospitals and clinics that are open.

Puja Khilare, 26, who is pregnant, had to struggle to get admitted as a hospital in Pune district was not ready to do so. In fact, many private clinics and nursing homes are allegedly refusing to check patients or admit them.

On March 26, Puja had an emergency. Adinath, her husband, along with three relatives from their house at Khilarwadi in Chakan, travelled to Talegoan. Adinath said: “We had to struggle to get private vehicles as public transport has been halted due to lockdown. We reached Talegoan General Hospital at 9.15 p.m after a three-hour journey, covering 21 km. The staff in the hospital checked her and prescribed a few medicines before asking us to leave. My wife, who is nine months pregnant, was in pain, yet the staff asked us to leave.”

The family said it was waiting for a vehicle at the highway going toward Chakan, when Kiran Oswal, a social worker spotted them.

Oswal told Newsclick: “I took them to the hospital again and argued with staff, which admitted Puja, after which I left. But the hospital asked the family to leave at 11.30 p.m. They called me, and then we took help from some senior doctors and got the lady admitted again.”

When this reporter tried to reach out to the hospital authorities for their comment, none responded.

There have been numerous complaints from patients who do not have any symptoms of COVID-19 that clinics and private hospitals were closed.

Minakshi Sathe, a software engineer from Pune, said: “My father had a fever. I visited three clinics in Pashan area, and all were closed. The police in every chowk asked me why I was roaming around with my old father. Five chemists shops were also closed.”

Patients who need dialysis are also facing problems as the hospitals they regularly visit are closed.

As per figures of March 27, Maharashtra has 153 coronavirus positive cases and five have died. The number of cases across the state are highest across India (over 870).

The state banned assembly of more than four people on March 22. Since then, doctors who run private clinics have started closing their clinics for the fear of getting infected.

Following many such complaints, Rajesh Tope, state health minister and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray have appealed to doctors running private clinics or hospitals to treat patients.

As per norms, in a public health crisis, if doctors refuse to treat patients, they could face suspension from the Indian Medical Council.

Understandably, many hospitals are asking patients to visit only in case of emergency. Chhaya Mhamane, 60, from Barshi in Solapur was having a bad toothache. When she called the dentist she regularly visits, he told her that he was keeping the clinic closed till the pandemic gets over. “He asked me to continue medicines which he had prescribed earlier,” she said.

A doctor, requesting anonymity, told Newscilck that he had closed his clinic as he thought no patient would visit due to lockdown.

Dr Sanjay Patil, head of Indian Medical Association (IMA), Pune chapter, said half of the OPDs (out-patient departments) were operating as usual. He said: “Doctors have asked patients to take appointments to avoid crowding clinics. No patient in need of emergency treatment is being sent back. In fact, many doctors are checking patients and are give prescriptions via What’sApp.”

Patil said doctors cannot run clinics and hospitals as their staff has stopped coming due to lockdown.

As per IMA, over 45,000 doctors do private practice, though Indian Medical Council has 85,000 doctors registered with it. Many of them work for government or aboard.

When asked about complaints by many patients and the appeal by the health minister, Patil said: he replied, “Some patients are visiting clinics for non-essential issues, like eye tests, as they have holidays. What do we do with such patients?”

IMA has issued an advisory that doctors should check patients via audio or video calls. However, several patients said they could not use smartphones and were not comfortable with check up via phone calls.

Shubha Shamim, an activist, said, “It is not ethical to keep clinics closed. Majority of the population is poor. How can you expect them to get check-ups done via phone calls? People having symptoms of flu panic, which is why doctors should keep their clinics open. Health comes under essential services, how can doctors give reasons like staff absence?”

As a result, government hospitals are receiving more patients causing crowds at a time when physical distancing is important.

Incidentally, two general practitioners in Mumbai were found COVID-19 positive on March 27.

The writer is an independent journalist based in Pune.