The Indian Medical
Association (IMA) on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra
Modi about doctors getting infected and dying due to coronavirus. The IMA president also urged the PM for an inclusive national solatium for doctors.

“The Government of India
has released the statistics that 87,000 health care workers have been infected
and 573 of them have lost their lives due to COVID-19. The data has raised
concerns all across the country. IMA’s data for doctors alone has registered
307 deaths as of today and a total of 2006 infected. 188 of those died are general
practitioners, who are the first point of contact for people. Doctors suffer a
higher viral load
and a higher CFR (Case Fatality Rate) as a community,” the
letter read.

“…There is also the
issue of whatever solatium that is in place has failed to reach the unfortunate
beneficiaries due to the inadequacy of the chosen instrument and the
indifference…We once again appeal to your good self that such a sacrifice by
doctors need to be acknowledged by the highest officer of the nation irrespective
of the sectors,” the letter continued.

“An inclusive national
solatium for all doctors who have laid down their lives in the calling of the
national duty only would render justice to the sacrifice of their families. We are
also writing to you at this junction since it has been predicted that India
will top the world in the number of cases in a few weeks,” the letter further read.

On Saturday, India
recorded 78,761 coronavirus cases in 24 hours, the highest single-day spike in the
world since the outbreak. With more than 63,000 deaths, India remains the
third-worst affected nation after the US and Brazil.