HM Amit Shah speaks to doctors; appreciates their work, assures security

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, on Wednesday interacted with a group of doctors and representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and appreciated their good work besides assuring them security, officials said. This comes amid reports of attacks on healthcare workers and assaults on some doctors engaged in COVID-19 duties in different parts of the country.

The home minister interacted with the doctors and the IMA through video-conferencing, a home ministry official said. Shah appreciated their good work and assured them full security, the official said. The home minister appealed to them to not do even a symbolic protest as the government is with the doctors, the official said.

Later Shah tweeted, "Health Minister @drharshvardhan and I interacted with doctors & representatives of IMA through video conferencing." "The way our doctors are performing their duties in these testing times is exceptional. I urge every Indian to cooperate with doctors in this fight against COVID-19," he said.

In another tweet, the home minister said, "Safety and dignity of our doctors at their work place is non-negotiable. It is our collective responsibility to ensure conducive atmosphere for them at all times. I have assured doctors that Modi govt is committed to their cause and appealed to reconsider their proposed protest."

The IMA was planning to stage protests against assaults on some doctors and healthcare workers engaged in COVID-19 duties. Later, it said it has withdrawn the protest. There have been reports of doctors being abused, beaten and denied entry into residences. Families of at least two doctors, who succumbed to the novel coronavirus in Shillong and Chennai, had faced opposition while performing their last rites as the locals claimed that burying them in their localities may lead to the spread of the infection.