Telangana doctors demand Bharat Ratna to frontline warriors

Hyderabad: Supporting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's recommendation of awarding the Bharat Ratna to doctors who sacrificed their lives while saving others during corona, doctors from Telangana have demanded the State government to suggest to the Centre to include theTelangana warriors in the list of awardees.

More than 600 Covid warriors including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff in the State succumbed to Covid while treating patients. Some of them had served till their last breath.

Recently Kejriwal had recommended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Bharat Ratna award be given to doctors, nurses and paramedical personnel who had lost their lives saving others during Covid that devastated the country.

Doctors from Telangana appreciated Kejriwal's proposal and demanded the Chief Minister to represent to Modi to provide space to doctors from Telangana in the list being prepared for the Bharat Ratna.

A Doctors' Union said the United Nations believed that the health sector worked hard and kept lives of doctors and nurses at risk during the pandemic; many of them sacrificed lives while treating Covid patients in the State.

Favoring the award to the doctor fraternity, Dr Sharif. a member of the union, said doctors were appreciated worldwide during Covid for their dedicated work in Telangana. They were entitled as frontline warriors. Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan had applauded the doctors on the Doctors' Day. Awarding the Bharat Ratna to Telangana doctors will be the real gratitude to them".

Appreciating Kejriwal's stand, President of the Indian Medical Association Dr Jaylal said "the decision is very good, but security and respect is more important than any award to doctors. The doctor fraternity must get respect; attacks on them should be stopped and attackers must be punished. This will be the real tribute to doctors".

He added that "the Bharat Ratna is a top civil award that is given to people who serve humanity. Also, doctors served humanity during the pandemic. Dedicating awards to those who served and who lost lives while treating Covid patients will be great. It will boost their confidence and will encourage all who are serving society".