A frontline doctor from Amritsar, Punjab has apparently committed suicide over the non-payment of her late husband’s dues by the government. According to the reports, her husband too, was a doctor and died during COVID-19 treatment in the month of August. Both husband and wife, being doctors who played significant roles in Amritsar’s battle against the coronavirus pandemic, have left behind a son and a daughter.

The woman is identified as Dr Sonia Sharma and had ended her life on Monday. As per the sources, Dr Sharma worked as an officer with Amritsar Municipal Corporation and was extremely upset about the government’s pending payments to her husband Dr Arun Sharma, who was a Senior Medical Officer at the Amritsar Civil Hospital.

Punjab’s healthcare department has claimed otherwise, stating that Rs 50 lakh were already paid to Dr Arun Sharma’s family after his death. Dr Arun Sharma, aged 54 years, tested positive for COVID-19 on 18th August. A video of him listening to songs during treatment had also gone viral on the internet, with the message to keep a positive spirit during the pandemic. On 30th August, he passed away, with his death being condoled by many well-known personalities, which included Punjab’s CM Captain Amarinder Singh.

Balbir Singh Sidhu, Punjab’s health and family welfare minister, attended Dr Sharma’s cremation, and had quoted that he was a brilliant and diligent officer of the healthcare department and was actively fighting against COVID-19 in the front line since March.

Source: shethepeople