After the owners' association of Neelpadam Kunj Apartment here in Ghaziabad issued a notice asking doctors and healthcare workers living in the complex to stay in Delhi until the end of the lockdown, the AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association (RDA), taking note of the same, has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday to apprise him of the doctors' distress.
The apartment association had issued a circular on May 7 prohibiting the entry and exit of doctors and healthcare workers from May 10 and asked them to arrange temporary shelters for themselves in Delhi while the lockdown is in force.
The RDA letter said that healthcare workers residing in DELHI-NCR region are facing issues related to transport and accommodation as various residential societies are issuing notices restricting their entry during this critical time.
Stressing that healthcare workers involved in COVID-19 duties are facing additional stress of applying for passes to commute from Ghaziabad, Noida and Haryana to various government and private hospitals in Delhi, it asked: "Why cannot the Centre issue an order to enable the healthcare workers to commute by displaying their hospital identity cards?"
The association urged the Centre to advise the state governments to stop ostracisation of healthcare workers who risk their lives to save the people during these testing times and enable them to discharge their duties without any hassles.
"We request you to please issue an order to enable hassle-free transport and stay to serve the nation," it added.
Meanwhile, RDA AIIMS President Dr Adarsh Pratap Singh told that the society's behaviour towards doctors is "disturbing" and the government must take action on this.
"The government should take a decision on this soon. The Central government should make proper arrangements, accommodation and transport facilities for doctors across the country so that they do not face such trouble in future," he said.
"All doctors wear PPE kits and treat patients with all the necessary precautions. Moreover, healthcare staff is also being examined on a regular basis. There is no risk to anyone. Despite this, such behaviour of people is very shocking and disturbing," he added.
He informed that they had not received any response from the Union Home Ministry so far but such attitude towards doctors is affecting the morale of the doctors.
( With inputs from ANI )