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Doctors in India demands protective gear against COVID-19

On Thursday, doctors in India repeated their demand for personal protection gear as they are on the forefront in preventing the deadly COVID-19 infection.

The demand came after a Delhi doctor along with his wife and daughter were tested positive for COVID-19 and another 800 people, who had visited the doctor, are put in quarantine.

On 19th March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressed the whole nation requesting for a public curfew from 22nd March 22 through a live telecast.

He had also requested the people to come out in their balconies and terraces at 5 p.m. (1130GMT) on Sunday to clap or bang utensils or ring bells to express their gratitude to those who are providing necessary services, mostly medical professionals, in this coronavirus crisis.

The doctors came out on social media asking the people and the government to do more than just show of appreciation.

Dr. Harjit Singh Bhatti, President of the Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum, told Anadolu Agency that his main concern is that the healthcare professionals are at the highest risk of being infected. Many medical professionals across the globe had lost their lives during providing treating to coronavirus patients. So he has urged the prime minister to provide them with adequate protective equipment, such as masks, head covers, gowns, etc. A doctor could become a spreader and patients can get infected. If doctors are safe, then they can keep others safe.

On Thursday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced an economic relief package to help residents through the coronavirus epidemic in India. The package includes $66,000 for medical insurance to people who are working in the healthcare division such as doctors, nurses, paramedicals, and also sanitation workers.

On 8th March, a doctor from a medical college in Jammu and Kashmir had released a video urging the government to provide them with sufficient masks and sanitizers for the medical staff working in government hospitals in the region. After 2 days, Dr. Singh received his transfer letter to a distant area in the region.

Each hospital is getting only $265 to buy emergency equipment against coronavirus, which is very less. Many doctors are buying their masks and sanitizers that are being sold at a very high rate than usual. This virus affects the respiratory tract and doctors are wearing clothes/handkerchiefs as masks.

Singh’s transfer was canceled, after doctors across the union territory condemned his transfer orders. On Thursday, he repeated his earlier demand for sufficient masks and sanitizers after the Delhi doctor tested positive.

Landlords in Delhi are asking their tenants who are working in the healthcare sector to vacate rental homes due to fear, which is adding to more worries of health and medical workers.

In a letter written to the Union Home Minister, doctors have requested suitable actions to be taken against the removal of healthcare professionals from their homes and providing of transport facility during COVID-19 crisis.

On Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured doctors that severe action will be taken against the landlords if they remove doctors.

According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the U.S, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases globally has surpassed 510,000 whereas the death count has crossed 22,900 and more than 120,000 have recovered.

China, Italy, Iran, and Spain are the worst coronavirus affected countries. In spite of the increasing number of cases, most of them who had contracted the virus suffer only mild symptoms before they make a recovery.

Source: Anadolu Agency