From Indore to Hyderabad, unwarranted attacks on health workers fighting COVID-19 across India

As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak continues to spread like wildfire across India, several disturbing reports have emerged of doctors and health workers being discriminated against by citizens, sometimes even outright attacked and insulted. It is important to remember here that the medical health professionals are fighting the virus outbreak at the frontlines and it is uncalled for to insult the very people who are risking their lives to protect fellow citizens.

A team of doctors had arrived in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, where the reports of confirmed COVID-19 cases are the highest in the state, for screening citizens when they were attacked by a mob. According to reports, people in Indore abused and pelted stones at the municipal employees who were cleaning the locality. However, cops assured that action will be taken against those who were involved in the act of assault.

Similar reports have been received from Hyderabad, where doctors at the Gandhi hospital were allegedly attacked by a mob after a patient infected with COVID-19 died at the hospital. The doctors have written to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao requesting protection and assurance against these types of assaults.

Even in the national capital, doctors at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) appealed for help after health workers were reportedly evicted from their rented residences by panicking landlords under suspicions of coronavirus.

On Wednesday, ASHA workers in Bengaluru were humiliated when they were going about their routine work of consolidating awareness. However, the police intervened in a timely manner and brought the workers safely out of the area.

An ASHA worker provided the first-hand report of the incident, "During our survey at Sadiq Layout, a person questioned us on why we were taking their details. We informed them of COVID and our survey. An announcement was made over loudspeakers and residents came in large numbers and heckled us. They questioned us on why and who had asked us to take details. We urged them to remain peaceful and told them about our work. They snatched our phones, abused us. I have been doing such work for the last 5 years, we have never faced such difficulties or humiliation."

Adding, "We are helping them, informing them of symptoms of COVID. They threatened us, told us we can call whoever we want to. But they had snatched our phones. Even the police did not turn up. Our other teams were in the neighbourhood. Those teams too were attacked. Action should be taken against those attacking us. We are doing this to help the residents, to inform them of symptoms. We have gone through unimaginable hardships to do this work. There are no buses or other public transport. We have spent our own money on petrol and used private vehicles. We have no food or water and yet we are doing our work."

It is to be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier warned citizens against mistreating healthcare professionals, especially during this time of crisis when they are risking their own lives to protect everyone else. Modi had referred to the doctors and other health workers as "incarnations of God" who were fighting the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in India at the frontlines.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, too, had earlier called the doctors "no less than soldiers protecting our country" and urged everyone to cooperate with the health workers. He had also announced Rs 1 crore on part of the Delhi government for any health worker who died of coronavirus.

The central government on Saturday also approved the launch of an insurance scheme for health workers who are fighting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak at the frontline, as per the earlier announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan scheme.

The government will ensure a medical insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh per person for those on the frontline of the fight against COVID-19, i.e. healthcare and sanitation workers. The amount is a personal accident cover to each of the 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers in the country for 90 days, keeping in mind that these are the individuals who have to remain in direct contact and take care of the COVID-19 patients, thereby exposing themselves to great risk of virus infection.

"With a deep sense of gratitude, I announce that all medical staff, Aasha workers, paramedics, doctors, and nurses, will get this insurance," Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman had said.

In light of the heightened concern on the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in India, the country has been placed under complete lockdown for 21 days. Authorities have asked citizens to maintain strict social distancing to cut the spread of the virus outbreak.

As of 12:13 PM on Thursday, almost 2,000 people across India have been reported to have contracted the COVID-19 disease, as new cases were reported in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Kerala on this day. The virus has affected over 9.3 lakh people worldwide. The global death toll has crossed 46,000, according to the COVID-19 statistics center at the John Hopkins University.