The Arunachal Pradesh unit of Indian Medical Association (IMA-AP) announced its support to the IMA’s decision to demand the Centre bring in a law to protect doctors and other healthcare workers and to observe ‘White Alert’ on Wednesday.
Following the rise in incidents of violence against medical staff working to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the IMA on Monday demanded that a law be brought to stop the same.
As a mark of protest, the IMA has asked the hospitals and medical staff across the country to light candles to protest against attacks on workers at 9 pm on Wednesday.
“Doctors have been abused, beaten up, denied entry and residence in the wake of Covid-19 at various part of the country. We are risking our lives and going out for work so that the public at large can stay at home and be safe,” IMA-AP president Dr Lobsang Tsetim said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Till date, 4 doctors have already lost their lives in the line of duty. To add more to our woes, there have been incidences of protests by public denying their cremation and burial. This is the last straw that IMA can bear,” Dr Tsetim said.
The IMA-AP head further said they want a strong central law against violence on doctors and hospitals.
“We will go ahead with the ‘Black Day’ declaration on April 23. All the doctors in the state will be wearing black badges on work,” he said.