A week after Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar passed away owing to a massive heart attack in Bengaluru on October 29, Bengaluru City Police has provided security cover to Dr. Ramana Rao who had treated the popular actor. The protection has been provided in the wake of several fans alleging medical negligence on the part of Dr. Ramana Rao who was the family doctor of the actor.
After Puneeth Rajkumar died at Vikram Hospital at Cunningham road in Bengaluru, a section of his fans are demanding an inquiry into his death. They have alleged that Dr. Ramana Rao committed negligence while treating the actor at his clinic. According to media reports, after the actor visited his family doctor, the doctor had conducted ECG on him. As the ECG confirmed strain, Puneeth Rajkumar was referred to Vikram Hospital. Some fans are asking why the doctor shifted him to the hospital instead of treating him at his clinic. Besides, they also want to know the medicine he prescribed to the actor after the strain was discovered. They are also questioning that why the actor was taken to hospital in a car instead of an ambulance.
According to the reports, a platoon of Karnataka State Reserve Police has been deployed outside the residence and clinic of Dr. Ramana Rao at Sadashivanagar. Bengaluru Police is closely monitoring the situation near these areas and the patrolling has been intensified to avoid any untoward incident.
The decision deployment of security was also taken since the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) in Karnataka on Saturday demanded the state government to ensure the safety of the doctor. “PHANA is deeply concerned with the way healthcare is being portrayed in the media and public following the death of Puneeth Rajkumar. While we share the grief and shock of losing a young and popular actor, the turn of events post this are sad and calls for your immediate attention,” PHANA president Prasanna H.M. urged Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
PHANA also strongly opposed the attempts by the public to accuse Ramana Rao who did his best. PHANA reminded that even the medical profession has its limitations where saving lives is not always possible. The medical outfit said that it was a matter of concern the way narratives of negligence against the doctor were built and held responsible for the untimely demise of the popular actor. PHANA president further said that the judgemental and hyper-critical media frenzy was creating distrust in the society besides risking the lives of the medical professionals who served the deceased.
In the meanwhile, the doctor has also clarified that he gave the best treatment and followed medical protocols while treating the actor who came to his clinic around 11:15 AM on October 29. The doctor revealed that the actor had not complained of pain or discomfort except he felt weak after his workout. He claimed that he immediately conducted an ECG. After noticing a strain he informed the actor’s wife Ashwini to shift him to Vikram Hospital. He immediately gave him Sublingual Sorbitrate and chewable Disprin. He said that the chamber is mainly used for consultation, and it does not have the facilities needed to treat a heart patient.
He further added that they took him to the hospital in the actor’s car because calling an ambulance would have taken much more time. Dr. Ramana Rao said that they did everything humanly possible to treat the actor and in order to provide the best further treatment, he was sent to the best medical centre without any delay.
