Farmers Movement Archive

Back home, doctors give free aid to protesters’ kin

Tribune News ServicePatiala, December 23Already providing free medical aid and medicines to farmers at Singhu and Tikri borders, doctors in the state are now providing free consultation and aid to their families back home. The services are being provided in coordination with doctors in various districts.Dr Balbir Singh, an eye surgeon, who is coordinating the initiative, said, “We have been providing our services at the Singhu border and a team will be on its way to the Tikri border also. We were informed that families of farmers back home were facing health issues as most men are in Delhi for weeks. The aged, women and children staying back can contact doctors on their numbers and seek free consultation and medication from them in their respective areas. This aid will continue till the end of the protest,” he said.Dr Sandeep Kaur Nagpal, providing services as a general physician in the initiative, said they had released 35 contact numbers of various doctors, including those who are MD in medicine, eye surgeons, physiologists, psychologists and others. The list includes doctors from Fatehgarh Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Mansa, Bathinda, among others. “Apart from consultation and coordination on phone, some of us have also been visiting various villages to provide medical aid twice a week,” she said.Dr Balbir Singh said they were expecting that more doctors will join them in providing the services and added, “We are also in touch with veterinarians that will provide free medical aid for the farmers’ cattle. The services will soon begin in Patiala as well.” Meanwhile, the doctors’ teams are providing continuous service at the Delhi borders. Dr Satyan Sharma, a psychiatrist who will be visiting the Tikri border on Wednesday, said the protesting farmers were facing issues due to their age and weather.

The Tribune

2020-12-24