With attacks increasing on healthcare workers amid the coronavirus pandemic, the government has brought in an ordinance to protect doctors. Attacks on health care workers have been made a non-bailable offence and will carry imprisonment from six months to seven years, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar has announced.
Safety and dignity of our doctors at their workplace is non-negotiable, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said as he urged the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to withdraw a symbolic protest by doctors against attacks on health workers who are in the frontline of the country's coronavirus battle. The doctors' body withdrew its protest after their meeting with the Home Minister and the Health Minister today.
The death count due to COVID-19 rose by 49 taking the number to 652 and the number of cases climbed to 20,471 in the country.
According to the Union Health Ministry, the number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 15, 859 while 3,959 people have been cured and discharged, and one patient has migrated.
