KMA’s FB post claims Hassan doctor died of Covid stress

A doctor, a pediatrician, is claimed to have succumbed to Covid-19- related stress in Hassan on Tuesday.

A post on the Facebook page of Karnataka Medical Association (KMA) reads: “Sorry to say this. Today, we lost young doctor Dr Shivakiran, pediatrician in Hassan, due to Covid stress. He had just finished flu clinic duty last week. Since three months, there is no holiday for doctors in Karnataka. He was having headache for one week, while on duty. Five days back, he collapsed while on duty. Later, he was found to have CVA and hematoma. He underwent surgery and was on ventilator. But, today morning, he passed away.”

The post is shared by a few hundreds of people on their social media platforms. The post has also evoked a few hundred reactions.

Dr H N Ravindra, former president of Karnataka chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) explained that CVA is cerebrovascular accident and hematoma is localised bleeding outside blood vessels, due to either disease or trauma, including injury or surgery.

However, Dr Ravindra said, the claim of the KMA page is false and the death is not related to Covid stress.

“It is true that 48 years is not the age to die. Dr Shivakiran was posted at the Taluk Hospital of Alur. According to family sources, Dr Shivakiran was suffering from headache for over a fortnight. Following a heart attack, he was hospitalised a few days back and he was under treatment,” he said.

Hassan District Health Officer Dr K M Satish Kumar said, Dr Shivakiran was also on Covid duty for some time, but the claim on the KMA page that doctors are not given leave since three months, is false.

“Government doctors were asked not to take leave unnecessarily. Some doctors have worked even on Sundays, in the interest of patients, as some private clinics and hospitals were not open. Doctors have taken leave, citing health or other reasons. The death of Dr Shivakiran is not related to Covid stress,” he said.