One of every three doctors infected in India succumbs to COVID-19

NEW DELHI: Every one of three doctors has been dying in this pandemic in India, reveals a paper prepared by Dr Kishan Mohan Kapoor, who worked on conditions of the health workers in India. It has been found that out of every three doctors who are infected, one succumbs to the virus.  Dr Kapoor said, “Doctors above 60 years of age should be convinced not to expose themselves to the patients till the pandemic situation stabilizes.”

According to a report on analysis of the pandemic’s effect in the community, general practitioners and paediatrician were most affected. Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) data on the death of doctors in India revealed that by July, there were 104 fatalities of doctors and by September, the number rose to 382 COVID related deaths of doctors. States like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra have highest fatalities of doctors due to COVID-19.

Amidst all this, the doctors’ body is facing issues with the government about them not mentioning doctors who lost their life in COVID-19 battle as martyrs. It said, “If the government doesn’t maintain the statistics of the total number of doctors and healthcare workers infected by COVID-19 and the statistics of how many of them sacrificed their lives due to the pandemic, it loses the moral authority to administer the Epidemic Act 1897 and the Disaster Management Act.” Indian Medical Association (IMA) added, “This also exposes the hypocrisy of calling them corona warriors on one hand and denying them and their families the status and benefits of martyrdom on the other.”