‘We have to be part of this change.’ UK doctors kneel in support of racial equality
More than 100 protesters, mostly physicians and other hospital employees, gathered outside University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital Thursday morning to kneel in solidarity with police brutality victims.
The group knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, which is about the same amount of time former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin was seen kneeling on George Floyd’s neck before Floyd died. Many protests have featured demonstrations of 8 minutes and 46 seconds, including “die-in” protests in several major cities.
“I think our department is planning to do a lot in terms of improving,” said Dr. Vashisht Madabhushi, a general surgery resident. “Improving diversity and increasing our commitment to change, and coming into the Black Lives Matter movement and working towards diversifying.”
Dr. Sandra Beck, program director for the general surgery residency, said some participants wanted to make sure they spoke out on racial equality and showed that UK’s health care programs were committed to improving diversity. She said she and other hospital staff members also felt like they needed to be part of the White Coats for Black Lives movement.
“We in health care, because of the glaring disparities that have become apparent through the COVID-19 pandemic, we really realize that we have to be part of this change as well, and to regain the trust of people of color in health care,” she said.
The novel coronavirus has had a disproportionate effect on the black population in Lexington and Kentucky. About 8 percent of Kentucky’s population is black, but black Kentuckians make up about 15 percent of all COVID-19 cases and 16 percent of all coronavirus-related deaths in the state.
Lexington’s population is about 15 percent black, but 29 percent of all COVID-19 patients are black, according to Thursday’s health department statistics. Roughly 39 percent of those hospitalized are black.
UK’s College of Medicine had a community town hall at their morbidity and mortality conference Thursday morning where they allowed people to come forward and voice concerns about diversity and how UK’s medical staffs can change, Beck said.
Beck said doctors will be demonstrating again Thursday and Friday night. A candlelight vigil by the “Second Breath” statue was planned at 8:15 p.m. each night.
This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 10:57 AM.