A day after the government informed Parliament that it has no data of the number of doctors and health workers, who have lost their lives while performing duties during Corona Virus the IMA (Indian Medical Association) on Thursday expressed concern over the total apathy of the Union Health Ministry, ironically headed by a doctor.
In a letter written to the government the IMA demanded that all those doctors who have lost their lives should get the status of martyrs and added that it is ready to cooperate with the government in tracing out the number of doctors who have lost their lives while performing their duties in hospitals meant to treat COVID-19.
Similar data should be procured from other bodies of health workers. The letter also said that in this regard a meeting should also be arranged between Prime Minister and the national president of the IMA. It sought due compensations to all the doctors and health workers who died while combating the pandemic. The IMA released the list of 382 doctors who have lost their lives in the last six months.
Apart from this many health workers too died during this period. The IMA national president Dr Rajan Sharma said that no distinction should be made between private and government doctors in getting compensation. He regretted that all this has been happening after so much promises and assurances given to the doctors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah had met the doctors and extended full cooperation, yet nothing concrete had happened. Dr Sharma also said that this is happening when the Union health minister is himself a doctor. He said that in the name of health being a state subject, the plight of doctors, nurses and other health workers cannot be ignored by the Union government during the pandemic.
The doctors in general are extremely upset over this latest stand of the Union government as in the initial phase of the pandemic they and other health workers were addressed as Corona warriors and showered with flowers and petals across the country.
