Given one face mask to use for 15 days amid coronavirus spread, says Andhra doctor

A doctor working as an anaesthetist at Narsipatnam Area Hospital in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday burst out in anger after he was "given one mask and asked to use it for 15 days".

Dr Sudhakar Rao also lashed out at the administration and expressed fear that if someone in the hospital is tested positive, they might infect everyone else.

"I tried to call District Coordinator of Hospital Services for masks. His phone is switched off. Today they gave me one N95 mask and told me to use it for 15 days. What should I do? What do they think, that positive cases won't come here?" Dr Rao said here.

He said that the administration is not even giving minimum importance to medical professionals.

"In Telangana, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is giving first priority to doctors. But nothing of the sort is happening here. Even the police are humiliating doctors. Don't we deserve minimum respect? The Chief Minister must look into this," Dr Rao said.

"There is a lack of masks. In fact, this is a big hospital with 150 beds. All tribal people in the agency area come to this hospital. No MLA or minister even come to our hospital to visit or inspection," he added.

Dr Rao said that the DCHS has even asked him to quit his job when he reached out over the lack of facilities for doctors amid the coronavirus spread.