The Delhi Medical Association has reacted with no remorse after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned private hospitals of consequences as complaints of refusing to treat COVID-19 patients piled up against them.
The note by the medical body read, “Delhi Medical Association strongly condemns the way Delhi CM (Arvind Kejriwal) is warning the doctors and threatening the hospitals about COVID-19 patients admissions and tests.”
The statement by the Delhi Medical Association added that doctors were busy ‘serving the people of Delhi tirelessly from last two months in this pandemic crisis risking their lives feel insulted by the way they are being treated.’
Terming hospitals the backbone of the healthcare system, the DMA said that instead of applauding their efforts, the government was busy penalising them with ‘new diktats daily.’
It also condemned the FIR filed against Sir Ganga Ram Hospital saying that this was ‘demoralizing for the whole Medical fraternity.’ The statement said, “Doctors of Delhi are already overworked and overstressed in this hour of pandemic crisis and the state government is unnecessarily putting pressure on healthcare systems.”
This came after Kejriwal warned private hospitals of consequences if they were found to be refusing COVID-19 patients in future. Many patients complained that they were refused treatment by several private hospitals in the national capital. Addressing his online media briefing on Saturday, Kejriwal had also sought a few days’ time to ‘end this business of black marketing of beds.’
Kejriwal had said that not treating COVID-19 patients was non-negotiable and his government would not tolerate such actions.
Kejriwal had won a historic second term in the February assembly elections. He had fought this year’s assembly polls highlighting his achievements in healthcare. His inability to stop the COVID-19 pandemic from spiralling out of control will dent his government’s credibility on providing a world-class healthcare system in the country’s national capital.