Doctors and health workers are on the frontlines in India’s battle against COVID-19 pandemic. But in this hour of crisis, there are some people from the medical fraternity forced to demonstrate demanding their safety and security.
A spate of assaults on doctors and health staff in Uttar Pradesh has instilled a sense of fear and insecurity.
Several doctors and healthcare staff in the State’s Prayagraj district staged a demonstration on Thursday.
Dressed in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) they held placards in their hands, requesting people to cooperate with them as doctors are meant to protect them.
One of the doctors’ placards read, “On the one hand people call us god, while on the other hand you [referring to the people involved in the attack] hit them”.
Dr Rajeev Kumar of Narayan Singh Hospital told news agency ANI, “If doctors are not safe how they will save people from novel coronavirus”.
The images were shared by ANI on the micro-blogging site Twitter.
उत्तर प्रदेश: प्रयागराज में कल डॉक्टरों और हेल्थ केयर वर्कर्स ने PPE किट पहन कर प्ले कार्ड दिखाते हुए डॉक्टरों पर हुए हमले पर अपना विरोध जताया। नारायण सिंह अस्पताल के डॉ.राजीव सिंह कहते हैं: अगर डॉक्टर ही सुरक्षित नहीं हैं तो क्या वो आपको कोरोना से बचा पाएंगे? #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/SNx7mTbXgJ— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) April 17, 2020
Recently, a team of doctors and other medical staff were assaulted by mobs when they went to pick up two people suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus.
The incident happened in the Nagphani area of Nawabpura in Moradabad. A number of health workers and police personnel were injured when locals pelted stones at them in which an ambulance and two police vehicles were also damaged.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered to take strict action against the accused under the National Security Act.
