When the entire country was in a lockdown amid the coronavirus outbreak, the entire staff, including the doctors, nurses and paramedics, at the Malegaon General hospital in Nashik went on a strike on Wednesday to protest against the misbehaviour inside the hospital premises by a group of 20-25 people led by Malegaon Central MLA Mufti Mohammed Ismail of the AIMIM (ALL INdia Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen).
Video footage that circulated on social media suggested that one of the accomplices of Mufti Ismail abused, kicked, assaulted and threatened one of the staff members and also misbehaved with Dr Kishore Dange, the medical superintendent at the hospital. At a time when the entire country is observing social distancing, the MLA barged into the hospital, unmindful of the security and protocol and misbehaved with the staff.
The MLA alleged that the doctor was not receiving his calls or answering to his text messages and was "simply delaying" the discharge of two suspected COVID-19 patients who were isolated for the symptoms at the hospital. The MLA also said that the doctors showed negligence in treating patients who were showing the symptoms of COVID-19 such as cough, cold, fever and shortness of breath after travelling to Malegaon from Mumbai.
Angered by the incident, the entire staff took to a dharna outside the hospital, which was joined by senior surgeons from the Nashik Civil hospital, including the deputy director, district civil surgeon, additional civil surgeon among others. The OPD and IPD services relating to patients of COVID-19 were operational.
The police took action as soon as the hospital filed a complaint and the MLA was arrested on Thursday. Asaduddin Owaisi, president of AIMIM and Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad refused to comment on the incident.
