Indian-origin physician in New York dies of COVID-19
New York: An Indian-origin physician here has succumbed to the novel coronavirus, American Physicians of Indian-Origin (AAPI) has said.
Sudheer S Chauhan had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and was battling for his life for the past few weeks. He died of complications from the illness on May 19, AAPI's Media Coordinator Ajay Ghosh said in a statement on Wednesday.
Chauhan was an Internal Medicine Physician and Associate Programme Director IM Residency Program at Jamaica Hospital in New York.
His daughter Sneh Chauhan said in the AAPI release that his unique, kind, gentle and caring spirit will be missed.
Chauhan did his MBBS from GSUM Medical College, University of Kanpur (India) in 1972. He was chief resident in Internal Medicine at Jamaica Hospital and graduated in 1997. A Board Certified physician in Internal Medicine, he also received citations from Royal College of Physicians and FACP from American College of Physicians.
New York is among the worst-hit states in the US with 28,636 coronavirus deaths and 76,410 infections. The US has so far recorded 1,551,853 COVID-19 cases and 93,439 fatalities -- both of which are highest in the world.
Earlier this month, an Indian-origin father-daughter doctor duo in New Jersey passed away due to COVID-19.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy had described the demise of the healthcare heroes who dedicated their lives to helping others as particularly tough".
Dr Satyender Dev Khanna, 78, and Dr Priya Khanna, 43, both dedicated their lives to helping others and we lost both of them to COVID-19, Murphy said during a press conference last week.
"We have a proud moment, it is (also) a scary moment; it is a mixed feeling, but this virus is a deadly virus, AAPI President Dr Suresh Reddy said, describing the situation under which the physicians of Indian-origin serving people infected with the virus.
"They tend to work disproportionately in areas that are medically underserved like rural and inner city areas taking on a heavier workload with patients who are more ill. We are definitely in the frontline fighting this deadly battle (against the coronavirus)", Reddy said.
Dr Seema Arora, Chairwoman of AAPI's Board of Trustees, said coronavirus has placed the entire healthcare sector, and in particular the Indian-American medical fraternity at the frontlines of the fight against the pandemic.
AAPI said Indian-Americans constitute less than one per cent of the US population, but they account for nine per cent of the American doctors and physicians.
One out of every seven doctors serving in America is of Indian-origin, providing medical care to over 40 million of US population. There are about 80,000 practising Indian-American physicians who are at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 pandemic in the US.
In addition, there are around 40,000 medical students, residents, and fellows of Indian origin in this country who are supporting many of the hospitals affected by the pandemic, the organisation said.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
