Ahmedabad: Parents of Gujarat’s final-year medical students — under the banner of Gujarat Medicos Parents’ Association (GMPA) — moved High Court following state government’s order to make COVID-19 duty mandatory. COVID-19 duty was made compulsory for aspirants in two colleges, NHL Municipal Medical College and LG Medical College, also known as AMC MET College.
“Forcing final-year medical students to perform Covid-19 field duty is illegal and arbitrary,” parents of medical students’ association said in a statement on Friday.
According to GMPA, students have tough exams in four-five months and they should not be giving up their studies and attend COVID-19 duty in hospitals.
Dipak Vyas, the association spokesperson, said a writ petition has already been filed by the GMPA in the Gujarat High Court on Thursday and that the matter will be taken up for hearing on August 5.
“We were forced to approach the high court as our representations to both civic and state authorities fell on deaf ears,” Vyas said.
“Out of 22 medical colleges in Gujarat, including those run by the state government, only two colleges run by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) have made Covid-19 duty mandatory for third-year part I and II MBBS students,” complained the association.
GMPA insisted that the duty be made voluntary, like the government medical college in Surat. All students lost almost four months owing to COVID-19 forced lockdown across the country.
Parents of over 200 final-year medical students studying in the NHL Municipal Medical College and LG Medical College have formed GMPA.