Not six but 78 doctors lost their lives to Covid-19 in Maharashtra, IMA tells Centre

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), a national voluntary organisation of doctors, has said the Centre is underreporting the number of doctors who have succumbed to Covid-19

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), a national voluntary organisation of doctors, has said the Centre is underreporting the number of doctors who have succumbed to Covid-19. According to the Centre, six doctors died of Covid-19 in Maharashtra, but the state chapter of IMA says 78 doctors lost their lives to the infection.

Covid-19 vaccine shots being administered to people at Nair Hospital. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

On February 2, minister of state for health Ashwini Kumar Choubey said in Rajya Sabha that according to the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) insurance scheme, Covid-19 had claimed the lives of 162 doctors till January 22. Of these, six are from Maharashtra. Last year in March, the Centre had announced that all healthcare workers could apply for insurance under PMGKP, which would grant claimants up to ₹50 lakh in case of death. IMA has been seeking approval for private practitioners to be considered eligible for PMGKP, but the Centre is yet to grant this.

In a letter dated February 3 and addressed to Choubey, IMA said its data shows 734 doctors lost their lives to Covid-19 across the country. In Maharashtra, 78 doctors, including private practitioners, have died of Covid-19, according to IMA. The organisation has asked the Centre to constitute a high-power committee to study the data on deceased doctors.

Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president, IMA-Maharashtra, said, “Firstly, when the national IMA sought information on doctors who died of Covid-19 infection, the Union health ministry told us they didn’t have any such data. Therefore, around three months ago, we submitted state-wise data for their consideration. The data provided in Rajya Sabha is completely incorrect,” he said. “When the pandemic started, we were threatened not to close down our clinics or our registration would be cancelled. So doctors kept screening patients even without proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Rather than honouring the deceased doctors, the government is hiding the data,” said Bhondwe. HT has reported multiple cases of families losing their sole breadwinners with the death of private practitioners who contracted Covid-19 while screening patients.

At present, IMA is collecting funds through crowdsourcing and from registered doctors. “We have been able to raise a large sum with the help of our doctors and will soon disburse the money to families of the deceased doctors,” said Dr Bhondwe.