Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has decided to felicitate medical and media professionals with a certificate of appreciation to doctors, nurses, lab technicians, reporters and camerapersons in recognition of the service in the fight against COVID-19.
Addressing a media conference on the occasion of National Doctors’ Day and Karnataka Press Day at the Congress office in Kalaburagi on July 1, Dr. Kiran Deshmukh, State vice-president of KPCC Doctors’ Cell and chairman of Congress party’s Kalaburagi district COVID-19 Task Force, said that party leaders would visit medical establishments and media offices across Karnataka to felicitate the professionals who stood on the frontline in the war against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is because of the collective efforts of frontline warriors that the pandemic could be brought under control. As an expression of gratitude to medical and media professionals for their service and contribution in the fight against the pandemic, the Congress has decided to honour them with a certificate of appreciation,” Mr. Deshkukh said.
Pointing to the disparity between the number of fatalities among doctors during the COVID-19 crisis shown by the government and independent agencies, Mr. Deshmukh demanded an audit of doctors’ death so that comprehensive assistance could be offered to the bereaved families.
“As per independent agencies like Indian Medical Association (IMA), the total number of doctors who died in the country during the COVID-19 crisis is 1,500 whereas the government figure is far less. A death audit would help us know the exact number of doctors who died in the pandemic,” Mr. Deshmukh said.
Describing the hardship and suffering that medical professionals and industry as a whole had to undergo during the pandemic, Mr. Deshmukh demanded that the Union government come up with strong legislation to deal with assaults on medical professionals.
“Medical students have lost one precious year fighting the pandemic. They could not write the postgraduate NEET examination. Considering these issues, the government should waive the one-year fee for medical students and immediately conduct the NEET examination. As promised, the government should also ensure that adequate reservation would be offered in government jobs for those who had completed 100 days of COVID-19 duty,” Mr. Deshmukh said.
KPCC spokesperson Priyank Kharge and former minister Sharan Prakash Patil were present at the media briefing.
