New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Wednesday criticised the Narendra Modi government for stating that 162 doctors have died while on Covid-19 duty in the country. The IMA has put the figure at 734.
The top medical body had submitted its data to the government in November 2020 and again in January this year. According to the IMA, 734 doctors have died due to Covid-19 till 3 February, “of which 431 are general practitioners, who are the first point of contact for the people”. As many as 25 doctors who died were below the age of 35, it noted.
In response to a question Tuesday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told the Rajya Sabha that 162 doctors, 107 nurses, and 44 ASHA workers have died due to Covid-19, according to the ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme’. The PMGKP: Insurance Scheme is the government’s compensation package for healthcare workers who die fighting Covid-19.
The IMA said it was “shocked” by the government’s announcement, which was contrary to the data released by the body.
Dr J.A. Jayalal, national president of the IMA, told ThePrint, “We submitted the data to the government on two occasions — once in November and again in the first week of January. We submitted it voluntarily after the government announced in September that they didn’t have data on doctors who died on duty.”
“They are making it look like only those who have availed the government insurance have died. They should have said in the Parliament that they are still collecting or verifying data, since we have submitted it to them,” Jayalal added.
General secretary of the IMA, Dr Jayesh Lele, said the IMA was considering taking the matter to court. “Most of those who availed the scheme were government doctors. They are not considering the deaths of those who couldn’t get the insurance. We are going to file a case against the government and are getting our documents assessed,” he told ThePrint.
ThePrint reached Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan via calls and text messages but didn’t receive a response till the time of publishing this report.
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‘Condemn apathy of government’
The IMA also said it condemns the government’s apathy in verifying the data submitted by the body.
“We strongly condemn the apathy of the government of India in verifying the data given by the Indian Medical Association and also delay in disbursing the solatium for the COVID Martyr’s families,” the statement read.
The IMA has demanded that a “high powered committee” be constituted by the government to make a thorough study on the entire data of deceased doctors.
In the Rajya Sabha Tuesday, Binoy Viswam of the Communist Party of India had sought to clarify if data presented by the IMA in November and January was taken note of by the health ministry and whether any “follow up verification of the same” was being done.
To this, the health ministry had responded by saying: “The process of insurance disbursement has been de-centralised under the PMGKP: Insurance Scheme. Accordingly, the verification of a person affected and died to Covid-19 vests with the concerned state governments/central government authorities.”
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