The daily death rate from coronavirus is reaching 4000, while daily cases are over 3 lakhs. The Indian Medical Association has written to the health ministry, criticising various aspects of how the pandemic is being handled, asking for it to, quote, “wake up from its slumber”. The IMA has noted over 900 deaths of doctors in India so far due to the pandemic. 

Dr Navjot Singh Dahiya, the national Vice President of the IMA is one of the most vocal critics of the government’s handling of the pandemic. He has called prime minister Narendra Modi a superspreader due to his election rallies during March and April, and also for allowing the Kumbh Mela and other gatherings. He has also made a police complaint against spiritual leader Baba Ramdev for mocking health workers complaining of oxygen shortage and saying that our nostrils are oxygen cylinders. 

On this episode, our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee spoke to Dr Navjot Singh Dahiya about his experiences on the ground as a doctor and as a representative of the Indian Medical Association. He laid out his frustrations with the health ministry which he claims suffers from a lack of scientific and professional approach to the pandemic.