Doctors call off symbolic protest as Amit Shah assures security

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday withdrew its 'White Alert' and 'Black Day' protests over the attack on doctors and other healthcare professionals fighting COVID-19 following Union Home Minister Amit Shah assuring them security and expressing concerns that their move could send out a "bad signal" as well as harm country's reputation internationally.

The doctors' decision came following a video conference they had with Shah and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, two days after the IMA announced doctors and hospitals will send out a 'White alert" on Wednesday by lighting a candle and observing Thursday as 'Black Day' demanding a law to tackle violence against healthcare professionals.

During the video conference, Shah assured the doctors that the government is with them and said that they should not go ahead with "even symbolic" protest. In a tweet, Shah said, "Health Minister Harsh Vardhan 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."

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"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," he had added.

There were several incidents of attack on healthcare professionals involved in COVID-19 operations in Moradabad, Hyderabad, Indore and elsewhere when in Chennai, burial of a doctor was disrupted by locals. Doctors and nurses also faced trouble in localities where they stay with house owners and locals threatening them and asking them to leave the area. In some cases, relatives of patients also attacked doctors after COVID-19 patients died.

Soon after the video conference, IMA President Rajan Sharma and Honorary Secretary General Dr R V Asokan said both Shah and Vardhan appealed them to "believe in this government and defer the symbolic protest".

A statement said they were also in view that "in this period of global crisis, where each one of us is fighting on frontline for the very existence of human race, such protests will send out a bad signal for the unity of our country and will damage its image internationally".

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"Considering the immediate high level response of government and solid assurance given by the Home Minister himself, it is decided" that the protests "stands withdrawn to maintain the unity and integrity of our country", the statement said.

The IMA said Shah was "very much aware and concerned" about the violence against health care professionals and assured that the Centre will come out shortly with relevant legislations to address the safety and dignity of doctors and healthcare givers.

While giving the call for protest, the IMA had said they have "maintained utmost restraint and patience despite extreme provocations" even when doctors were "abused, beaten up, denied entry and residence".

It also said the obstruction to cremation of doctor in Chennai was the "last straw that can bear" and "if dignity is denied even in death, our patience and restraint lose their value".

On Monday, Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan had written to states asking them to take adequate measures to ensure safety of healthcare professionals, saying they were at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19.