Ahmedabad : Spare medical students from Covid-19 duty: IMA

Ahmedabad: Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday wrote a letter to CM Vijay Rupani, urging the state government not to involve medical students in Covid-19 duty.

‘Some officers are arm-twisting the medical fraternity... The government would be responsible for any untoward incident involving the medical students,’ stated the letter.

The letter cited notifications of the central government’s HRD ministry and state government to discontinue the educational work.

‘The central government’s health and family welfare department has issued a notification on June 16 not to involve medical students in duty. Even then, medical colleges are coercing the students into Covid-19 duty which can be detrimental for their mental and physical well-being,’ mentioned the letter.

Experts said that Covid-19 duty has remained a bone of contention between the students and health machinery in the state. On the other hand, the hospitals said that the students form backbone of the public health system when regular strength of the doctors is not available.

A senior hospital administrator said any government decision is binding on the medical colleges.