Over 300 doctors have died of Covid in India

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has accused the Centre of showing indifference to the contribution of doctors during the coronavirus pandemic. This is after Union Health Minister Dr Harshavadhan made no mention of the doctors who died in the line of duty during his statement on coronavirus in Parliament.

The IMA has accused the Centre of abandoning the heroes in a statement. So far, 382 doctors have died of coronavirus, the IMA said. In the list it released, the youngest doctor to lose his life was 27 years old and the oldest was 85.

While acknowledging the contribution of healthcare workers during the pandemic, the health minister made no mention of the medical professionals lost to the disease.

To feign that this information doesn’t merit the attention of the nation is abominable. It appears that they are dispensable. No nation has lost as many doctors and health care workers like India. This amounts to abdication of duty and abandonment of the national heroes who have stood up for our people. IMA finds it strange that after having formulated an unfriendly partial insurance scheme for the bereaved families to struggle with the ignominy of the Government disowning them altogether stares at them. – Indian Medical Association

The IMA also reacted strongly to Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey‘s statement that Union government does not have any compensation data as public health and hospitals comes under the states.

This was the second time in two days that the government faced criticism over the lack of crucial data.

The Centre came under opposition criticism after asserting in a written response that it had no data on the migrant labourers who died during the lockdown and so any question on compensation “does not arise”.If you haven’t counted, have the deaths not taken place?” tweeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Terming it “utter callousness”, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac tweeted, “Centre doesn’t care about deaths of migrant workers they caused by pushing them in to trains, makeshift carts and on foot to the distant homes”.

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