7 docs to keep an eye on Mishra

While government hospitals in the city are struggling to reduce the huge patient to doctor ratio, the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Sunday deployed a team of seven doctors at sacked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Kapil Mishra's residence for two consecutive days.

The team of six junior resident doctors, led by a senior resident doctor, all from the hospital's Emergency Department, have been assigned the duty to look after Mishra round-the-clock. The rebel AAP leader has been observing an indefinite hunger strike outside his residence in Civil Lines, demanding that the party disclosed details of foreign trips made by its leaders.

"Senior resident doctor on duty will visit every six-and-half hours and give institutions to deputed junior resident doctors," a hospital roster read. A junior doctor will be present at Mishra's residence during this shift.

The decision, however, has not gone down well with the doctors with many of them terming it "VIP treatment". "All doctors posted at Mishra's residence are from the casualty department. The decision will hamper services for common people due to a shortage of doctors in every shift," a senior RML doctor said.

Earlier in the day, the former Delhi water minister was rushed to RML after he collapsed during a press meet. "The crises was averted after Mishra was hospitalised. But things will be challenging for us if he gets discharged as the hospital witnesses an unusual footfall on Mondays," he said.

According to doctors, 200-250 patients visit RML in six hours. "Normally, there are five-six doctors on duty in a shift. That means a doctor attends to around 40-50 patients during his duty," another doctor said.

"There is no point assigning four doctors a day at his place. The work can be done by one doctor, who can visit him twice or thrice a day," a junior resident doctor said.