‘Denied’ coronavirus test, Amritsar doc seeks Punjab CM’s help

Claiming that she has symptoms of Covid-19, a junior resident doctor of Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar, Dr Parminder Kaur, has sought Punjab chief minister

Claiming that she has symptoms of Covid-19, a junior resident doctor of Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar, Dr Parminder Kaur, has sought Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s intervention in getting herself tested for coronavirus as she was denied a test at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital (GNDH) here.

HT Image

The doctor, who is suffering from high fever and is facing difficulty in breathing, had made several appeals to higher authorities on Twitter. “I am a second-year MD student at GMC and suffering from 102 degrees Fahrenheit and have shortness of breath but my test is not being conducted. If I get any worse, my family will not get to meet me at all. Kindly help,” the doctors tweeted to the CM on Saturday.

She had also tweeted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, World Health Organisation (WHO) and Rahul Gandhi on Friday, raising the issue.

Talking to HT, Dr Parminder Kaur said, “I was assigned emergency duty at GNDH, where two coronavirus positive patients are admitted. I am suffering from high fever since Wednesday and despite fever, I was directed to perform my hospital duties. I am facing difficulty in breathing and my symptoms are worsening with each passing day. My fever is ranging from 102 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.”

“I appealed to GNDH authorities to conduct my coronavirus test, but to no avail. Instead, they told me to take antibiotics,” she said, adding that she has now self quarantined herself at her home in Amritsar.

When contacted, Amritsar civil surgeon Dr Prabhdeep Kaur Johal said she will ask GMC authorities to conduct a test on Dr Parminder.