New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, lauded the frontline coronavirus warriors' efforts and the armed forces' gesture to honour them through flypast across the country. Meanwhile, the frontline health workers across the country have expressed their gratitude for the gesture and felicitation of the armed forces.
"Saluting those who are at the forefront, bravely fighting Covid-19. Great gesture by our armed forces," Modi tweeted. The tweet was accompanied by videos with the bands of armed forces playing and helicopters showering rose petals on healthcare workers at hospitals.
During the day, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted flypast across the country and its jets, transport planes, as well as choppers, showered petals on hospitals and places of national importance to show gratitude towards the coronavirus warriors.
It was part of the nationwide thanksgiving by the armed forces to honour doctors, paramedics, sanitation staff, the police and other frontline workers battling coronavirus.
The medical fraternity and other coronavirus warriors were seen assembled outside the Covid-19 hospitals and other government buildings with hands-on the chest to show gratitude to the armed forces.
The health workers from different states including doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) and Safdarjung Hospital in the national capital said it was a proud moment for them to be honoured by the Indian Armed Forces.
Speaking to IANS they said it was a great gesture by the Armed Forces to boost their morale as it is a very challenging time for the entire country, especially for the frontline warriors in the battle against novel coronavirus pandemic.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) jets and transport planes across India on Sunday showered petals on hospitals and places of national importance to show honour and express their gratitude towards the coronavirus warriors who are battling against the pandemic.
Speaking to IANS, Dr. Adarsh Pratap Singh, president of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Delhi, said: "It was a great gesture shown by the Indian Armed forces. The armed forces have always come to the forefront whenever the country is in difficulty. This time, health workers are the frontline warriors in this difficult time of coronavirus pandemic. Despite having limited resources, doctors are giving their hundred per cent to save the people of the country. It is their unique way of saluting to the health workers battling coronavirus.
Dr Singh said this is the time when the government must ensure the safety of all health workers. "Now we expect the government to provide a safe work environment in all the hospitals across the country. In AIIMS we have sufficient quantities of PPEs etc. but there are other hospitals in the country which have raised this issue. The government should sort this out otherwise if doctors and health workers keep getting infected, the entire health infrastructure will come to a halt."
Echoing the same sentiment, Dr Manish RDA President of Safdarjung Hospital told IANS that it was a proud moment for all the doctors at the Safdarjang hospital. "It was a proud moment for the medical fraternity. Not only the flowers were showered but the Army band also performed here. The Indian Armed forces have given a message to the society that health workers should be respected."
Dr Manish said that all the frontline workers have been working in very difficult conditions and recent attacks had brought a feeling of disparity in their minds and hearts. "We are working really hard, in difficult conditions. Many doctors are working 12 hours continuously or even more, not because there are less number of doctors, but to reduce the exposure. Suppose if three doctors work in COVID ward in a day, they all will be exposed to the virus but if one works for a longer duration, at least two will be saved. This is our internal management, other hospitals are working as per their own system.
A senior Resident, Dr Soumyadip Chatterji who was posted in COVID care centre of AIIMS, set up in Haryana's Jhajjar, told IANS, "It feels good to be honoured by the armed forces. I convey my thanks and gratitude to the government and the armed forces."
(With Agency Inputs)