Protest erupts in hospital after staff’s death who was denied sick leave

The death of a worker posted at the coronavirus ward of Mumbai’s KEM hospital has sparked huge protests by medical staff and other employees outside the state-run hospital. Hundreds of doctors, paramedics and others were seen protesting in masks and other protective gear.

The worker, who had allegedly been denied leave though he had been unwell for four days, died on Sunday night. Whether he died of COVID-19 will be known after his test results come out.

His family should be compensated with a job and financial help, protesting employees have demanded.

His body has been at the hospital mortuary since last night.

Protesting staff have also highlighted disturbing images of body bags on stretchers in the corridors of the hospital.

The bodies were moved to the first floor of the hospital, they allege, because the ground floor mortuary could not accommodate any more. The first floor houses a clinical lab.

The KEM Hospital, run by Mumbai’s civic body BMC or Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, has been stretched to the limit because of the rising virus cases.