Senior US diplomat Alice Wells praised India on Friday for its approach in preventing attacks against healthcare workers who are on the front line battling the coronavirus disease.
“Pleased to see #India is taking additional steps to protect healthcare workers on the front lines combating #COVID19. These heroes are working tirelessly to protect their communities. AGW,” the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) said in a tweet quoting Wells.
The government on Wednesday approved an ordinance to make attacks on healthcare workers a cognisable and non-bailable offence, expedite investigation, imprison those convicted to up to seven years, and impose stringent penalties on vandalism and damage to property. The move came in the backdrop of attacks on health staff and Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) call to observe black day such protest violence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that there could be “no compromise” on the health staff’s safety. “The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 manifests our commitment to protect each and every healthcare worker who is bravely battling COVID-19 on the frontline. It will ensure safety of our professionals,” he tweeted.
Home minister Amit Shah and health minister Harsh Vardhan had earlier in the day given assurance of safety to representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), following which the medical association called off its protests scheduled on Wednesday and Thursday.