'At Least 382 Doctors Died Of Covid-19,' Says IMA; Slams Centre For Not Maintaining Record

IMA has alleged that the government has concealed the morbidity and mortality of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who died during Covid-19 management.

Doctors are seen during a Covid-19 Coronavirus screening at a quarantine centre, in Nashik. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP)

New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association has criticised the Union Government for not maintaining the statistics of doctors who have lost their lives while treating Covid-19 patients. The body has demanded "martyrs" status for healthcare workers who have died during pandemic duty. IMA has alleged that the government has deliberately concealed the morbidity and mortality of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who died during Covid-19 management. The IMA statement comes as a response to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan , who acknowledged the contribution of healthcare workers during this pandemic, but the statistics of healthcare workers who died due to COVID-19 were missing from the 19th paragraph of the statement on September 14. The association has come up with its own data which shows at least 382 doctors have died in the pandemic due to Covid-19. "If the Government doesn't maintain the statistics of total number of doctors and healthcare workers infected by Covid-19 and the statistics of how many of them sacrificed their life due to the pandemic, it loses the moral authority to administer the Epidemic Act 1897 and the Disaster Management Act," Dr Rajan Sharma, National President of IMA said. Minister for State (Health) Ashwini Kumar Choubey in the Parliament said that public health and hospitals come under states and so the insurance compensation data is not available with the union government. Reacting to the statement made by Choubey, Dr Sharma said that this amounts to abdication of duty and abandonment of the national heroes who have stood up for our people. Meanwhile, it has also asked for a “martyr” status for the healthcare workers who have lost their lives in the battle against the virus. It said their families, children deserve solace and solatium from the national government.