PANAJI
Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) has warned that 300-odd doctors managing almost all the workload of Covid-19 hospitals in the State will withdraw their services with immediate effect if threats and violence against doctors by relatives of Covid patients continue. GARD said two such incidents were reported, one each at GMC and South Goa District Hospital, within a span of one week.
"In these terrible times, we the resident doctors of GMC are putting our heart and soul to help the health services to tackle the pandemic. It saddens us immensely that even after giving our best efforts while being crippled by lack of adequate facilities, oxygen, beds, manpower we have been on the receiving end of multiple threats and violent incidents in the past. On April 18, 2021, the doctors on duty and the medical staff of ICU in SGDH Margao were abused by the relatives after the demise of the patient" GARD stated in a press note.
"Similarly on April 28, 2021, another such violent incident has occurred at GMC where the doctors and nurses were abused and a ventilator broken by the patient's relative."
"It is always the resident doctors who are at the receiving end of abuses for lack of beds and other facilities. The people of Goa need to understand that we have joined GMC as postgraduate students and are providing medical services as part of learning. We too have parents and families back home."
"We would like to state to the people of Goa and health authorities that if any violent incident happens to any resident doctor or staff in GMC/SGDH/ESI or any other Covid hospital, they will withdraw their services immediately," the GARD warned.
