Corona martyr’s families need empathy, not sympathy
Dr Vinay Aggarwal
Saving a life is great. Saving someone else’s life, while laying down your life is the greatest sacrifice. Our healthcare personnel have performed the supreme sacrifice in this fight against Covid-19 inspire of poor resources and infrastructure support.
Our PM too recognised this sacrifice when he asked the nation to light diyas and torches for Doctors and healthcare professionals. He also ordered the showering of flower petals on them by helicopters as a mark of gratitude for the work being done by them.
But beyond that nothing has happened for the “Corona warriors”. There is complete apathy towards the frontline workers on the ground. Except for reserving 5 seats in Medical entrance and announcing financial help to the families of Corona Martyrs (practically more in papers) nothing more has come from the Central government to reward those who have laid down their lives in fighting this disease.
More than 700 Modern Medicine Doctors (and many more other healthcare workers) have lost their lives while serving during this COVID Pandemic. Thousands of others have suffered from Covid-19 infection themselves and are still battling with the complications of the disease.
COVID19 toll is even worse than the Kargil war where around 450 of our soldiers had laid down their lives while defending our border.
What is frustrating and demoralising is the official apathy towards the “Covid warriors”. Government of India doesn’t even have the numbers of the Modern Medicine Doctors (leave alone practioners of other pathies, nurses, ward boys, sweepers, police personnel etc.) who have laid their lives in this fight.
The Doctors fighting against this dreaded disease didn’t even have the proper protection gear initially & still they continued to perform their duty, putting the concerns about their own safety behind. Many paid the ultimate price of their lives, still it didn’t deter others to continue.
What for do we have the various departments of the government if they can’t even generate the figures of those who have died fighting this pandemic?
Much more pathetic is the government’s response in those cases where it has acknowledged the deaths of “Covid warriors”. The files for compensation are not moving (as usual and you know why). There are Doctors who died fighting the disease, leaving behind families without a breadwinner and dependents who face a dark future, leave alone the plight of families of lesser position holders. Why are they suffering?
Is not the government responsible and under obligation to ensure adequate compensation is paid to the families of these Covid warriors for the supreme sacrifice they offered.
Governments have been tardy in recognising the “Covid warriors”. It differentiates between those working in “Covid hospitals” and “Non Covid hospitals”. A person infected with Covid doesn’t know about it till her/his test is done. If such a person visits a “non Covid hospital” won’t she/he infect the staff (and other patients) with Covid-19?
In such a case a Doctor (or healthcare worker) can get infected with Covid-19. Isn’t it? Then why differentiate? Any Doctor (or healthcare worker) getting Covid-19 infection should be treated as equal. It doesn’t matter whether the person was working in a dedicated Covid hospital or a non Covid hospital.
Further, the government should not discriminate between “private practitioners” and “government Doctors”. Both of them as soldiers in arms against this disease. Both are citizens of India. Both are trying their best to defeat this enemy of humanity. Then why differentiate on the basis of who employs them? Give them the status of “Corona martyrs” equally. If a person dies of “medical negligence” the consumer courts award compensations in Crores to the family based on “future earnings”. Why can’t the government use the same formula to award compensation to our “Covid martyrs” in granting compensation as they got infected while serving the public.
Some state governments like Delhi government have announced and given Rs.1 Crore compensation to few Doctors. But other state governments have been dragging their feet. Why? Let’s have a national policy of compensating Doctors treating Covid patients.
There is also a reluctance in awarding compensation to Doctors involved in “Private practice”! Why?
Any Doctor getting sick of Covid-19 should be treated as “Corona warrior” whether in private practice or government duty.
There are many young Doctors who also lost their lives in fight against this disease. Some were just 1 year into their post MBBS duties. They have young wives and children who have been orphaned. Isn’t it our duty to take care of them as a “welfare state”?
Come on India! We believe in what Bhagwan Krishan said in Bhagwat Geeta, “Karman ayev adhikarasyey……”. Let’s make sure that they get the “phal” of their sacrifice to them. They did their “karam”, now its upto us to take care of the families
IMA has started a fund to help those needy families who have been totally ignored by the Govt as IMA COVID Martyr’s fund.
Another initiative IMA HQ is doing to create a memorial wall as a part of homage to these warriors.
(The author is a former National President IMA. He is also a recipient of Dr B C Roy National Award. Dr Aggarwal is a regular contributor to Kashmir Vision)
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