Washington, December 25: Dr Susan Moore, the doctor who came from the Afro-American background and had alleged racial discrimination at a prominent US hospital, died on Thursday. She had contracted COVID-19 last month, and was released from the hospital few days ago after he condition had relatively improved.
Dr Moore had drawn media's attention after she alleged discrimination at the India University Health hospital due to her being "black". She had claimed in a Facebook live video on December 5 that a white doctor, who was treating her, refused to prescribe drugs for her neck pain. Derek Chauvin, Former US Police Officer Charged With Floyd's Murder, Released From Prison on $1 Million Bond.
The doctor, she claimed, did not physically examine him and instead asked her to "go home". He also refused to offer her medication to relieve the neck pain, claiming that he can't prescribe her any more "narcotics".
"I was crushed. He made me feel like I was a drug addict," the New York Times quoted her as saying. After her Facebook video had went viral, the hospital management expressed regret and offered her better healthcare service.
She died on Thursday, aged 52, her son Henry Muhammad confirmed. Following her death, the issue of racism has again come to the fore in the US. The country was rocked by massive protests earlier this year, following the police killing of 46-year-old black man George Floyd.
Dennis M Murphy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Indiana University Health, said the charges made by Moore is being looked upon with complete seriousness by the medical institute. "Dr Moore’s words and image will stay with me every day and fuel my motivation to ensure that this organization becomes truly equitable in all dimensions. I hope it serves as a collective call to action," he said.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 25, 2020 09:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).