Ghaziabad housing society withdraws notice banning resident doctors after AIIMS RDA pens letter to Amit Shah

The housing society in Ghaziabad which had earlier barred the entry of residents who are health practitioners, asking them to stay back in Delhi instead, has now withdrawn its notice after the AIIMS Resident Doctors Association took note of the Ghaziabad circular and had penned a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah letting him know of the doctors' distress.

Earlier, it was reported that concerned society, the Neelpadam Kunj Society Apartment Owners Association in Ghaziabad, has asked its residents who are doctors working in Delhi to make temporary arrangements for their stay in the national capital out of fears that they may spread coronavirus back home. This had caused major distress for the society's resident doctors and other healthcare personnel.

In its new notice on Friday, the Apartment Owners Association has stated that the earlier advisory was issued "by mistake" and it was later withdrawn on Thursday night itself.

"However, we regret the inconvenience to any doctor/paramedical staff of NPK due to the above advisory notice," the new circular stated, adding, "AOANPK's intention was not to hurt any doctors or paramedic staff residing in NPK or elsewhere."

Copies of the new circular have been sent to the District Magistrate, the Chief Medical Officer, the Zonal Officer, GMC, and the Municipal Counselor of Vaishali in Ghaziabad.

In its earlier letter, the Apartment Owners Association had based its circular on the notice of Ghaziabad Chief Medical Officer in which doctors working in Delhi had been asked not to return to Ghaziabad as they may spread coronavirus.

"We respectfully appeal to our fellow residents, who are doctors, paramedical staff, and working in different hospitals in Delhi, to make a temporary arrangement of their stay in Delhi till the lockdown period and attend their duties from Delhi-based residence only," the earlier notice had stated, adding, "As we are already staying in a govt. sealed NPK complex, we have to implement this at the earliest date. Hence we will 'STOP THE EXIT & ENTRY of doctors and paramedical staff, who are residing in NPK, from the early morning of 10.05.2020 (Sunday) onwards."

Outraged by this, the AIIMS Resident Doctors Association had then penned a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the Ghaziabad society circular, stating the problems faced by the doctors and other medical staff residing in Delhi-NCR for accommodation and also during transportation.

The letter had said: "Various residential societies are issuing notice restricting entry of health care providers during this critical time while facing pandemic which has amplified the shortage of human resources in various parts of the country.

It had also brought to notice the problems faced to acquire border passes while travelling from UP and Haryana towards Delhi. "Doctors, nurses, and other paramedical staff involved in COVID19 duties are facing additional stress of applying for passes to commute from Ghaziabad, Noida, and Haryana to the various government/private hospitals in Delhi", the letter claimed.

The AIMS RDA letter had further urged the government to take steps in this direction so that the healthcare workers are not discriminated against and the state governments can also ensure that they do not face any harassment and their commute to Delhi becomes easier. "Why can't the Union Government issue an order to enable the healthcare workers to commute by displaying their hospital identity cards? We request you to kindly advise the state governments to stop the ostracisation of the healthcare workers... We request you to please issue an order to enable hassle-free transport and stay to serve the nation."

Shortly after this, the Apartment Owners Association of Neelpadam Kunj withdrew its circular banning resident doctors from entering the society and apologised for issuing the concerned circular.

Notably, this fiasco comes amid widespread panic, anxiety, and insecurity that has broken out all across India regarding fears that the healthcare practitioners may potentially spread the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection and a major distrust against these emergency personnel as a result of that. Doctors, and by extension healthcare personnel all over the country, are disappointed and disheartened by moves such as these, dictated by panic and unsettled fears over the virus.

Meanwhile, the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in India crossed the 56,000-mark on Friday, while the death toll has already topped the 1,800-mark as well.