LNJP Doctor Who Was At The Frontline Of Battle Against COVID-19 Dies After Contracting The Virus

A senior doctor at the LNJP Hospital in Delhi, which is one of the dedicated COVID-19 hospitals in the national capital has lost his battle to the viral infection. Dr. Asheem Gupta, a senior consultant of anesthetics at the LNJP Hospital, died Sunday, days after he tested positive for Covid-19.

The 56-year-old had tested positive for coronavirus on June 6. "He was a frontline anesthesia specialist who contracted COVID-19 infection while on duty. He tested positive on June 6, when he had mild symptoms and was shifted to a quarantine facility. His symptoms aggravated on June 7 and he was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of the LNJP Hospital," the hospital said in an official statement.

Arvind Kejriwal/ Twitter

The doctor was shifted to the Max Hospital in south Delhi on June 8 on his request, which is also a dedicated COVID-19 facility. "He lost the battle today after a valiant fight," a senior official of the LNJP Hospital said.

He was Specialist, Grade I, in the Department of Anesthesia at the LNJP Hospital, the statement said. Dr. Gupta's wife Dr. Nirupama Gupta, who is a radiologist had also contracted the virus but recovered later.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore for the family of Dr. Gupta and said the society has "lost a very valuable fighter".

Dr Aseem Gupta, a senior doctor of LNJP Hospital succumbed to Covid yday. He was known for going out of his way to serve his patients. We have lost a very valuable fighter. Delhi salutes his spirit and sacrifice.

I just spoke to his wife and offered my condolences and support. pic.twitter.com/0aD9nZmBoR

¡ª Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 29, 2020

Dr. Gupta is the third frontline doctor in Delhi to have died of COVID-19. A doctor from the Fortis Escorts Heart Institute in Okhla in south Delhi had recently died of the novel coronavirus infection. A 39-year-old doctor from Odisha died of COVID-19 in the ICU of the Delhi government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital on June 20.

BCCL

Last month Dr. JN Pande, the former Director and Professor of Pulmonology at the All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) New Delhi had died days after he was tested positive for COVID-19. Dr. Pande was, however, not a frontline doctor in the fight against COVID-19.

At least four nurses have also died in Delhi after being infected by COVID-19 while on duty. Heera Lal, the senior sanitation supervisor at AIIMS, New Delhi, had also died of COVID-19 last month.

AP

In April the Delhi Government had announced that if anybody loses their life while serving any COVID-19 patient, be it sanitation workers, doctors, nurses or any other staff, temporary or permanent, from government or private sector, their next of kin would be given ?1 crore as a mark of respect for their service.