Stressed young doctor dies by suicide in Delhi

The death was made public by former IMA Chief Dr Ravi Wankhedkar

A 36-year-old doctor of a private hospital, who was attending to Covid-19 patients and under stress, has died by suicide.

Vivek Rai, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur and got married last November, has been attending to Covid-19 patients for the past one month, many of whom died leaving him stressed.

His suicide was made public by former Indian Medical Association Chief Dr Ravi Wankhedkar through a series of tweets. Rai was working in Max Hospital in south Delhi's Saket.

"He was doing Covid-19 duty since one month and was dealing with ICU patients every day and was providing CPR and ACLS for about 7-8 patients per day in which not many were surviving...Due to this frustrating situation he was into, he took such a difficult decision of ending his own life than living with the suffering and emotions of the people that died on his watch," Wankhedkar said.

Saying that Rai was a "very brilliant doctor", Wankhedkar said he had helped to save hundreds of lives during the pandemic. Rai was newly married and his wife is two months into her pregnancy.

"This brings into focus the tremendous emotional strain...while managing Covid-19 crisis. This death of a young doctor is nothing short of murder by the 'system' which has created frustrations due to shortages of basic health care facilities. Bad science, bad politics and bad governance," he said.

Police said he has left a suicide note.