The Indian Medical Association has claimed that around 50 doctors lost their lives to Covid in a single day. As the second wave of coronavirus rips through India, 244 doctors have becomeits victim till now. Bihar records the highest number of deaths of doctors which is 69. While 34 doctors have lost their lives in UP and 27 in Delhi.
According to IMA, only 3 percent of them were vaccinated. Its been six months since the vaccination drive started in India. However, so far only 66% of healthcare workers are vaccinated.IMA is saying that they are doing every possible effort to get the medical fraternity vaccinated.
“It is very unfortunate that we lost 50 doctors in one day across India and 244 in the second wave since the first week of April,” said Dr. Jayesh Lele, the General Secretaryof IMA.
He further added, “Secondly we want to highlight that doctors are understaffed and overworked. They sometimes work for 48 hours at a stretch without any rest. This adds to the viralload and they ultimately succumb to the infection. The government needs to take measured to boost the healthcare workforce.”
IMA has been a critic of the Central government’s handling of the Covid19 pandemic since the beginning of second-wave. The institution is constantly criticizing the center for nottaking the right steps or their inexcusable delay in taking decisions. Earlier, IMA had advised the center to impose nationwide lockdown to break the chain of coronavirus infections. However, the Central Government rejectedthe suggestion.
“The union health ministry is very sluggish to deal with the condition created by the second wave of corona epidemic,” said IMA. It also said that the government is taking allthe decisions without considering the ground reality.
According to IMA, last year, India lost 736 doctors in the battle against coronavirus. With the beginning of the second wave, we have learned nothing and so far lost 244 doctors. Anas Mujahid,26, is the youngest of 244 doctors who lost their lives to Covid. Mujahid had tested positive for coronavirus. In a rare case of sudden progression, he succumbed to the infection within hours of testing positive.