The country Thursday hailed the role of physicians on National Doctors' Day, particularly in saving lives during the Covid pandemic, with President Ram Nath Kovind saying the people are deeply indebted to these "selfless angels". Prime Minister Narendra Modi also lauded doctors and said the way they have served the country is an inspiration in itself.
A number of states organised virtual programmes to thank the doctors for their tireless service during the pandemic. Expressing gratitude to all doctors on behalf of 130 crore Indians, Modi said when the country is fighting such a big war against coronavirus, doctors have saved millions of lives by working hard day and night.
He said his government is committed to safeguarding doctors and also paid tributes to those physicians who lost their lives while combating the Covid pandemic. "Losing the life of even one person is very saddening but India has also saved the lives of lakhs of its people from coronavirus. A big credit for it goes to our hard working doctors, healthcare workers and front line workers," he said.
Kovind in a tweet said, "Let's celebrate #NationalDoctorsDay as a tribute to dedication of doctors to treat the ill to the best of their ability. In COVID-19 times, their service has gone beyond the call of duty. We are deeply indebted to these selfless angels who have risked their lives to save ours." Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan applauded doctors for going beyond the call of duty to attend to their patients during the pandemic and help the nation overcome its gravest challenge in over a century. Addressing a meeting of eminent doctors, professors of medical science and stalwarts of the medical fraternity through video conference, he condoled the death of doctors due to the pandemic.
Advising doctors to minimise risk to their lives, Vardhan enumerated a three-fold action plan for them to defeat Covid — taking care of themselves and following proper protocols in handling patients; telling the communities the do's and don'ts to prevent the spread of the virus; and staying connected with "your peers and with all of us". Extending his greetings, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, "Being a doctor is a pledge to serve mankind. On National Doctor's Day, we salute the heroic efforts of our courageous doctors who left no stone unturned to serve humanity irrespective of the odds. Time and again, we have witnessed their selfless efforts towards society." National Doctors' Day is observed in honour of noted doctor and former West Bengal chief minister Bidhan Chandra Roy, whose birth and death anniversaries fall on July 1.
In a tribute to the physicians, the Rajasthan government announced that a doctors' memorial will be built at the state-run Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur. At an event in Jaipur, families of those doctors who died during the pandemic were also honoured. In Punjab, health services were hit in government hospitals after doctors went on a daylong strike over the state's Sixth Pay Commission recommendations, delinking non-practicing allowance from the basic pay. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan while lauding the role played by doctors in the fight against Covid, appealed to them to encourage people to get vaccinated against the disease. While paying tributes to Roy, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also said the contribution of the entire medical fraternity is unparalleled.
The West Bengal government has declared a statewide holiday on the occasion to honour the doctors for their contribution towards fighting the pandemic. Expressing gratitude to the medical fraternity, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore announced that it will conduct a leadership development programme for 100 selected doctors for free. On the other hand, German luxury car manufacturer Audi said it is offering complimentary scheduled service along with sanitisation to its existing customers who are doctors.
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