Forum calls on doctors to oppose victimisation of personnel raising issues pertinent to controlling COVID-19

Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum (PMSF), an association representing doctors, academics and scientists from across the country, has issued a call to various doctors associations and health workers throughout India to oppose the punitive measures being taken against doctors and other health workers for raising the issue of lack of PPE (personal protective equipment) for health workers and other issues pertinent to control of COVID-19 contagion.

Signed by its national president Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti, the statement points out that even as the entire country is engaged in defeating the ongoing SARS CoV-2 pandemic, the health personnel of the country, of whom doctors are the leading members, are doing their utmost in this valiant fight against the virus.

‘Numerous doctors and other health personnel around the world have already laid down their lives in this fight. There already have been several reports from across the country that health personnel engaged in care of COVID-19 patients have contracted the disease, including in the national capital Delhi, and at least death of one doctor due to the viral infection has been reported. These sacrifices are not inadvertent loss of lives, but reflect the willingness of medical personnel to take on their responsibilities knowing fully well the risks involved,’ it says.

Dr Bhatti points out that even as there is no cure as yet for the disease, nor is there a vaccine for prevention, the doctors, nurses and other health personnel are perhaps the most important resource that any country can deploy against this pandemic, and yet the government’s attitude seems to have been lackadaisical when it comes to providing for the protection of health personnel against contagion with the virus.

It says, ‘There are numerous reports in the media of governments failing in their duty of making PPE available for health personnel in various hospitals in adequate numbers. It is well known that the doctors and nurses have been forced to make do with things like raincoat and helmets to save themselves from the contagion. It is most unfortunate that the voice of doctors and other health personnel who have raised genuine concerns over the issue of lack of availability of PPE, has been sought to be muzzled rather than addressing the problems at hand in earnest.’

The statement goes on to add, ‘Dr D Sudhakar, who is an anesthetist posted at government hospital at Narasipatnam, in Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, is the latest victim in this series of punitive measures. He has been suspended by the Andhra Pradesh government for having raised a perfectly legitimate demand for N 95 facemasks being made available in the hospital to enable the health staff to serve the people better and without fear of the disease.

Unless this trend is collectively opposed by all of us together, there are likely to be more such cases as the going against this pandemic gets tougher. Rather than being sincere to their responsibility towards the people the governments have a penchant for covering up their criminal negligence.’

PMSF has requested various medical associations and professional bodies to write letters demanding immediate revocation of the suspension of Dr D Sudhakar such that he can continue serving the people of the backward tribal area where he is posted and make his contribution in the fight against COVID-19 threat.