Coronavirus: AIIMS targets “Dr whistleblower” for raising issue of lack of PPEs; PMSF condemns

In a time when the whole nation is fighting corona pandemic, India’s top medical institute AIIMS, in a very unfortunate move, has blamed Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti - national convener of Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum (PMSF) for “undermining the fight against corona”.

Bhatti who has been at the forefront in raising issues such as lack of PPEs and other medical equipment in the country, has been blamed by the AIIMS administration for “damaging the image of the institute” also.

However, in a strong rebuttal, PMSF, an organisation of doctors, medical students and scientists from different institutions in the country called allegations by AIIMS “irresponsible and highly undesirable”.

Saying that allegations leveled by the AIIMS administration against Bhatti has no evidence, PMSF said, “PMSF has been highlighting lack of equipment, particularly PPE so that this deficiency is met. Dr Harjit Bhatti has been leading this campaign in the interest of this battle. To project this campaign as ‘undermining these efforts’ is to say the least, grossly undermines these efforts”.

It may be recalled here that while AIIMS administration claimed that there is no shortage of PPEs in the institute, resident doctors and nurses have raised the issue several times in the past.

Demanding withdrawal of these “assertions” PMSF reiterated, “Damaging the image of the Institute should not be lightly flaunted, as it is a public-funded institution founded through an Act of Parliament.”

As per the data issued by the ministry of health and family welfare India, there were 5,194 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 149 deaths till Wednesday.